Shapes
by writerzero
Summary: Robin is trying to get the team to upgrade their skills. It's hard going for Beast Boy who has no way to improve his animal forms, and is even required to eat meat. Will he stay on the team, or leave? Will the friendship between the five remain, or break under the stress? I plan for this to be BBxR.
1. Chapter 1

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Going to try to keep this story suitable for a 'T' rating. That might change, depending on the direction the story takes._

_Terms: The Maximum-7 chip. The processor chip Cyborg used in one of the episodes that boosted his mental and physical capabilities._

_Time: Around three months after Things Change. Excludes Trouble in Tokyo_

* * *

_**A Game,... The Meeting,... The Decision,...**_

His hands moved swiftly over the game controller. On the screen, a realistic representation of a muscular human marched ruthlessly against hordes of zombies, performing combo after combo, leaving piles of the undead creatures in his aftermath. Fingers, not quite human, rapidly pressed buttons, sending the avatar effortlessly through an apocalyptic city.

The vacant expression on Beast Boy's face gave lie to the emotions that raged within him. He wasn't even paying attention to the screen, rather letting pure reflex play the game for him. Unlike his normal method of jumping around, giving minor victory dances as each undead minion perished, he was, other than for the movements of his fingers, absolutely still.

He clenched his teeth together, ignoring the taste of blood as one of his fangs sliced flesh. It had been a few months since Terra had awaken from her prison of stone and forgotten him. With each passing day, his position amongst the Titans had changed, making him feel more and more like an outcast amidst those he thought of as friends.

_Friends?_ He considered the word, wondering if applied to the Titans anymore. _Did friends make you eat meat? _He wondered. With Slade still alive, Robin had become obsessed, insisting they train and improve their skills. With early morning being the time best suited to this, he'd commanded that they be at the obstacle course by six a.m, six days a week. That was fine with Beast Boy. Sure it mean no more sleeping in, but he could always nap afterwards. It wasn't a big deal. It wasn't even a big deal that they'd been assigned turns to cook breakfast. It was, their leader had claimed, more efficient. It meant only one of them had to get up extra early, once every four days. Starfire, of course, was exempted from this duty. Again, that wasn't something he disagreed with. Other than the orange-skinned alien, not one of them had thought even once about requiring her to cook.

Of course there'd been complaints about the meals he'd prepared. Tofu bacon and eggs. Most of those had come from Cyborg. Each morning he'd started to whine even before he sat down to the table, and didn't stop until he went to bed. For all Beast Boy knew, he'd moaned about it in his sleep. There'd been a few sarcastic comments from Raven, who'd refused to eat breakfast on his days of cooking. Robin had merely frowned, and ate. There hadn't been a peep out of Starfire. She'd just gladly greeted then with a 'glorious morning friends' and sat down to eat.

Cyborg had returned the favor with a ton of real bacon and eggs when his turn had come around. Beast Boy had learned his lesson, and had just cooked waffles during his next turn. That had been sort of okay. Cyborg had muttered ceaselessly, looking at the waffles, wondering if there was any tofu in them. Still, he'd eaten them. Raven had just dumped syrup on hers, and started eating with a small frown on her face. Obviously her thoughts mirrored those of the cybernetic Titan.

Had either of the others returned the consideration? No. In fact, each morning for the next three days, he'd found his plate covered in dead animal flesh. He'd ended up just pushing it to one side, and settling for cereal.

That hadn't been good enough for Robin. Actually it hadn't been good enough for Cyborg and Raven either. The former had made comment after comment, whining about the wasted food, along with numerous other complaints. Raven had taken each and every chance to be extra sarcastic. Maybe their leader had just grown tired of all the bickering, but, whatever the reason, he'd set a rule that breakfast had to be a balanced meal that included meat, grains, milk, and fruits.

To sum it up, Beast Boy had to eat meat and drink milk. There was no skipping breakfast, or substituting cereal. He fumed, with the only external expression of it being an especially swift set of combos by his avatar on the screen. The boss for that level was defeated in record time. The unfeeling grim reaper of the undead marched forward onto the next level. The shape shifter didn't really take notice, lost in his internal diatribe.

Then there'd been the training. It'd been pretty much the usual, but they'd also been ordered to upgrade their skills. For some it'd been easy. Cyborg had just installed another Maximum-7 chip. This time with a few safeguards. There was a default setting, and after an hour of usage it would reset to it. Plus, the chip could only be used for a total of eight hours per day, after which it would shut down until the next morning. Used carefully, it certainly added to the cybernetic Titan's abilities.

Raven had focused on learning how to be more precise with her powers. She'd already had brute power, but now she could react more subtly to a situation. Instead of ripping up the road to slam it against a villain, she might just trip them. It required less of her dark magic, which meant it had less of a chance of running amok. Having seen Rage running out of control within her, that was something Beast Boy could certainly vote for.

It'd been him that had even suggested a way to use that new found control against Plasmus. While not the toughest foe to take down, he was definitely the dirtiest and most disgusting. Who in their right minds wanted to touch something that ate sewage? Handling the villain was a nightmare in grossness. Or had been. Get rid of enough of the plasma that surrounded him was the key to defeating the vile creature, and Raven's new control made that easy. Rather than tossing a car at him, she could now pick one up and spin it. Each time the front or the rear of the vehicle passed through the nauseating material that comprised the villain's body, it would knock some of the foul substance away, eventually returning him to sleep in his human form.

Starfire had worked on using the ability of her eyes to emit beams of energy in conjunction with her starbolts. That, along with working with Robin to learn a few martial arts moves, had made her considerably more formidable.

Robin, already a master of the martial arts, had focused on developing more toys to use. Most were just variations of what he'd already had. But watching practice one day, in the form of an eagle, Beast Boy had studied the birdarangs their leader used. Simple projectiles. Making then able to change direction in air like a bird could, just by shifting a few feathers, had been his suggestion. He'd had no idea how to accomplish that, but between them Robin and Cyborg had developed the idea. The new creations went where they were aimed, using small surfaces to counter any air movement. Minor, but an improvement.

That left Beast Boy himself. How could he improve? Well, he couldn't. The size of his shapes depended on his size along with the DNA he'd learned it from; so he couldn't make a larger T-rex. He was already the second best martial artist on the team, next to Robin. The animal forms he adopted weren't exactly the best at using tools. There were limits to that. A giant ape might, at the best, be able to use a club. Plus, if he tried to use tools it would just slow him down. An animal's reflexes were often built-in, and trying to get them to go too much against their nature meant things just weren't going to go as planned. You ended up with the worst of both worlds, rather than the best.

He paused the game, and looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers. Even in his human form they were no long quite as nimble as they'd once been. In Africa, even at the age of eight, he'd once loved helping his parents set up the solar arrays that powered their laptops and provided light at night. He'd even been able to manage very simple repairs with their supervision. Then had come the Sakutia virus and the death of his parents. He was no longer quite human, and had no family. Even some of his memories were gone, wiped away by his parents' attempts to save him. The genetic changes had altered his brain, and that was where a person's identity lay. Garfield Logan had died that night.

He pressed the pause button, and the game resumed. On the final level his character was still alive and well. His fingers may not be as nimble, but his mind could analyze a fight, and react faster than just about any human could. Gone was the ability to assemble a basic solar array, replaced with an innate knowledge of combat.

Playing video games was something he'd been told not to do. At least not until he could find some way to boost his ability to aid the team. That, he figured, just wasn't going to happen. Sure, there were bigger dinosaurs than the T-rex. But DNA from sixty odd million years ago wasn't something you could go to the nearest zoo to find. And to change into one of them that was what he needed. It'd been just luck he'd found enough genetic material from a T-rex preserved in amber.

Then there was the little fact that the bigger the animal, the more effort it took. Even if he found the DNA of something like a hundred ton Argentinosaurus, changing into it might be a little bit difficult. Or more likely impossible. Internally he fumed some more, sending his avatar to almost certain death against a squad of powered-up zombies. They fell before his attack like a snake before a mongoose. The final boss appeared and he charged it, sending combo after combo into its nearly indestructible form. It fell.

He dropped the controller, not caring to even look at the score. There was a meeting and that was where he should be at right now. Rising, he left the room, still as upset as when he'd started the game. Nothing inside him had been resolved, and his impassive expression would have done Raven proud.

* * *

"Where's the little grass stain." Cyborg chafed. "I've got better things to do than wait on him."

"As do I." Raven added, sounding indifferent.

"He's late again." Robin mused, looking around the table. He closed his eyes and wrinkled his face, as though annoyed. "Doesn't he care about the team anymore?" He wondered out loud."

"Given he made me eat tofu I doubt it." Came the whining reply from the cybernetic Titan. "I'm sure that stuff is still clogging up my systems. It's unnatural." He shuddered, disgust running across his face.

"Can't believe I actually ate it." Raven admitted impassively.

"So what are we going to do about him?" Cyborg asked.

"I don't know." Robin replied, rubbing his temples. "He's getting to be an headache. And it's disrupting the team. Everyone else has stepped up, so why can't he?"

"Too lazy." A reply came from the cybernetic teen.

"He does put a whole new meaning to the word." Raven said sarcastically, her expression unchanging. "Not to mention annoying." She added.

"Friends, is friend Beast Boy going to be from the team dismissed?" Starfire asked, looking anxiously around.

"I'm not sure what will happen." Robin replied, looking at her. The annoyed look vanished from his face as he did so.

Raven, seeing the change in expression, frowned slightly. "It would serve him right." She said.

"Being unfair, you are." Starfire spoke, looking upset.

"Everyone else has done their part." Robin pointed out.

"Yes. I know." The alien replied. "Their share of the complaining." She stared at Cyborg. "Eating his food did you no harm." Her voice held no room for argument. "You are part machine, with a digestive system much more advanced than a biological one. Yet you consume much dead meat just to annoy friend Beast Boy. You need at most half of what humans need of the food. But you eat six times that."

"It tastes good." The boy defended himself.

"Friend Beast Boy met you half way." She continued, ignoring his defense. "He cooked waffles rather than this tofu so repugnant to some. Did you return the favor. No. You cooked more dead meat, knowing he would refuse to eat it. That is not being a friend."

"We always joke about it." Came the angry reply. "We both know ..."

"Know what?" She interrupted, in a manner very unlike her. "That he can change into the creatures you eat? That he has a reason to find it repulsive. It has been nine weeks since he last cooked eggs of tofu and bacon of tofu. Yet you still whine like an ungrateful Gornak. I am tired of it. One more word and I will with starbolts blast you." She frowned at the boy who remained quiet.

The orange-skinned alien turned her attention to Raven. "You reek of emotions." She told the impassive looking girl.

"My emotions are under control." The violet-haired girl replied.

"Then why must you so much sarcasm employ at friend Beast Boy's expense?" Starfire demanded. "Your joy at humiliating him is not that of a friend. Are you no longer a friend of Beast Boy? Have you told this to him?" Her green eyes pierced those of the demoness.

"We're friends." Raven insisted, for once sounding unsure. A small frown hung on her lips. A few months back she would have been sure of the answer. Now, it wasn't so clear. Beast Boy almost never bothered her, choosing instead to avoid her. But then he avoided most of the other Titans too. Starfire was the only one he didn't.

"I sense uncertainty in your reply." The red-haired alien spoke, interrupted the violet-haired girl's thoughts. "I do know that if you are not now unfriends, you will soon be."

Raven opened her mouth to reply, but she had no answer and the alien had turned away from her.

"And you friend Robin. Why did you friend Beast Boy make eat meat?"

"It was best for the team." Came the quick and sure reply. "Humans need a variety of foods to remain healthy, and the bickering was causing strife within the team. It had to end."

"So you choose to end strife by place all the burden on friend Beast Boy." Starfire claimed.

"No. He was subjected to the same rules as everyone else." Robin replied defensively.

"Friend Beast Boy is not the same as everyone else." Her eyes glowed with fury. "The rules you made on eating milk of cow and dead flesh of animals were repulsive to him alone. And not one of you let go a chance to mock him when he follows your wishes to do so. Certainly not Cyborg." She turned her gaze on the cybernetic teen who didn't say a word.

"I couldn't allow exception. The team ..." Robin started.

"Oh." She interrupted again, turning back to her boyfriend. "You made an exception for the cooking of breakfast. I was told not to cook." She pointed out. "Why is that?" Her eyes glared into his.

"Well. See ..." There was no way to explain to the emotional alien that her cooking would have killed them all.

"Hrmph." She turned around to face the whole group. "And then there is this improvement of which you speak. Have even one of you told Beast Boy how to improve?" Silence greeted her. "Do even one of you know how he can become a better fighter?" She glared around the table, once again greeted by silence. "So then, tell me friends, how does he make this T-rex form of his bigger?" The table was silent. "His own size and the DNA used dictates the size of the T-rex. He has this pointed out to you several times." She went quiet, eyes still blazing dangerously.

"Will friend Beast Boy be dismissed from the team." She demanded.

"Of course not." Robin replied. "He's a part of the Titans no matter what."

"He's very helpful to the team." Raven hurried to add. "He can scout from the sky better than any of us, and is better at tracking most criminals." She paused. "I would miss him." She added.

"We're his family." Cyborg insisted. "He's like a little brother to me. Besides, where else would he go?"

Raven's frown deepened to a level none of the other Titan's had even seen before. "He left the Doom Patrol." She pointed out. "They were almost like family to him." Worry was starting to nibble at the back of her mind.

"They were oppressive." Cyborg countered. "They had no hesitation to sacrifice one of their own, even when it wasn't necessary."

Raven recalled the occasional glimpses she'd gotten of Beast Boy's feelings lately. The joy was gone from them, replaced by anger and resentment. Why hadn't she realized that earlier. Because she'd been so obsessed with ... She push the thought to one side. "He doesn't like it here anymore." She realized, and spoke the thought out loud. "We're being oppressive. He's forced to eat what we tell him to eat. His biology isn't even fully human, so how can we even know what he needs? And he alone has been restricted in what he can do. Games are now forbidden to him. All because we insist he do something he can't. At least not yet, or perhaps not without help. He helped us. He came up with the idea on how to improve Robin's birdarangs, and he showed me how to defeat Plasmus without any aid." She finished her long speech, still frowning. A sudden sense of foreboding made her look at the door. _Was he there listening? _She wondered. His ears were very sensitive. _No, not now, but he was. _She decided. _How much did he hear?_ _Did he hear us talking about him being dismissed from the team, bad mouthing him._ They talked a lot like that around each other, at least he and Cyborg did. But this was different, it'd been done behind his back. Her frown became more evident. She had a bad feeling about this.

"Forcing him to eat meat was a bit overboard." Robin admitted, looking worried. "I just hoped that well ..." He shrugged. "We're all teenagers and still growing. We don't know what he needs, but we don't know what he doesn't need either. Lack of the trace elements in meat might stunt his growth."

"True." Raven replied, stilling frowning towards the door. "But there are other ways around that. Vitamin supplements for example. And we never stopped to worry if Cyborg was getting enough veggies. We only focused on Beast Boy." A look at the cybernetic Titan silenced any remark he might have had. She turned back to the door. _How much had he heard?_ She wondered.

"He does put in a lot of time on the training course." Robin added, sighing. "More than any of us actually. He often runs through them in various animal forms for the fun of it. He's obviously putting in the effort, and can almost match me in hand-to-hand combat when I'm not using any devices. He's stronger; I'm a little bit more skilled." He shrugged. "But it's not much use to him since he rarely fights in human form, and can't use weapons as well as I can. That's not for lack of trying. His hands just aren't as suited for it; the bone structure is just a little off."

He turned towards Raven. "Can you talk to him? Tell him he can eat what he wants for breakfast, and can play his games. That we're sorry."

Her expression became a full frown, abandoning any pretense at being impassive. "I think he heard us." She replied. "His ears are sharp, and he would have been on his way here while we were talking. He would've heard us talking about him leaving the team." Her stomach felt like lead. "I think it might be too late. What can I say when he's already heard us saying he should leave."

The others stared at her in shock.

* * *

He stared out the window. He'd heard them talking. Everything from Cyborg whining about tofu again, right up to when Raven had said, '_It would serve him right.'_ Even the girl who _supposedly_ expressed no emotions thought he should be kicked off the team. At that point he'd just turned away, and came to his room to think. He stared at the clear blue sky that beckoned him. So easy to just leave, but was it the right decision? Sitting on the floor just in front of the open window, he considered what he should do.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Does Beast Boy leave the team? Well yes and no. He's 'gone' for a while, but not in a way anyone will expect. Wonder if anyone can even make a guess at it. And what was Raven so obsessed over the last little while?

Was going to leave this at a better cliffhanger, but I think this will do.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	2. Chapter 2

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Immediately after chapter one._

* * *

**_Wanderer,... Reminisce,... A Trip to a Dark Place,..._**

One moment he was sitting, looking out through the window, the next he was outside, wings grasping the air. The green Peregrine Falcon circled, found a thermal, and rose with it. Wings beating to aid his ascent, he soon soared two miles above the island. This, he knew, was what it meant to be free. The form of the wanderer, as the name of this bird of prey implied, was freedom incarnated. Matched in hunting prowess only by the Golden Eagle, it was often his form of choice. Once, within Africa, he'd traveled with his parents, paying no heed to boundaries, possessing only what they could carry. A simple time filled with happiness. Then he'd been a true wanderer.

Eyes peering downward, he searched, seeking prey. His wings reached out, altering his direction, and then closed around him. He plummeted towards the ground, reaching over two hundred miles per hour. He flashed past the seagull that had been his target, briefly swiping at it with his talons. If he'd truly been hunting, it would now be dead. As it was, he was merely letting the form's natural instincts run free. He'd no interest in killing the poor gull, nor any desire to eat it.

Wings beating, he regained his two mile high position above the island. Letting the thermals do most of the work, he circled. The bright noon sun beat down, warming him. The sky was endless, without a single cloud in sight. Peering out over the water he could see almost forever. Beating his wings a few more times, he rose even higher, pushing his limits. Below him stood the tower, a mass of shades that would have bewildered any human who saw it as he did. It was silver, yet glowed red with infrared radiation. Flashes of light sparkled around it. Some came from the reflection of the sun. The more bluish ones were magnetic fields that were being created within the building; some steady, some flashing. It was an amazing sight, and the focus of his thoughts.

To stay, or to leave? He turned the question over in his mind, occasionally peering over the horizon. In reality, other than companionship, he had no need for anything human. The whole of the world, from the ocean bottom to the reaches of the sky, was his to roam in. He would need a place to sleep, but that was it. Or he could choose a form that needed no nightly rest. With a slight tilt of his wings he caught another thermal, and maintained his altitude.

Leaving meant loneliness again. There were few people in the world who would tolerate a small, green, mutant. He was different, and would always be treated as such. Within the tower he'd found refuge from that. A place to call home, or so he'd thought. Of late, it hadn't seemed very home-like at all. The jokes with Cyborg had ceased to be mindless banter, with the taunts now cutting deep. Robin no longer appeared to be the wise leader he'd once seemed to be; a harsh tyrannical dictator had taken his place. Raven? Well, he didn't want to go there. That hurt too much. Starfire alone had remained someone he saw as a true friend. She greeted him cheerfully, and often tried to get him to eat her cooking. That was suicidal, but still she treated as she did the others. With kindness and respect.

* * *

The others had stared at her in shock over those simple words, '_I think it might be too late_.' A simple sentence, with only simple words. Yet it might change their lives forever. As the violet-haired girl walked through the tower, searching for the shape shifter, she hoped she was wrong. This was a duty she'd tried to avoid. Robin, she'd pointed out, was the leader. Let him bear the news. Or Cyborg, who'd once been his best friend. Perhaps still was. Who really knew yet? Or the kindhearted Starfire, the only one who'd stood up for him. Yet both Cyborg and Starfire had thought her the best choice. Why? She had no idea.

Walking through the building she passed the commons room. Beast Boy wasn't there, but a controller left on the floor, with a screen asking for the name of the player with the new highest score was. It seemed he'd broken the rule against playing games. Looking back on it, she realized if someone had tried to create a rule against her meditating, she would've blasted them. The team wasn't a dictatorship where such rules could even be suggested, let alone enforced. How could they've ever thought it was? _Because we weren't the ones targeted. _Came the simple answer. _We eat meat, so we just assumed it was no big deal without thinking. And a game is just a game._ She sighed, and continued searching.

Eventually she came to his door. With her senses she reached out, and found no trace of him in his room. She was tempted to entered and see if any of his stuff was gone; if he'd already left. But given how she hated people to trespass within her territory, she doubted that was wise. Better to wait. She would mediate, expanding her senses to let her know if he returned, and think on what to say; consider just why she'd let a person she considered a friend become, as Starfire called it, an unfriend. Turning, she headed to her own room.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, seeking peace and tranquility. Images of when the Titans were first formed came to her mind. Beast Boy had accepted her without question, noting only that she was creepy. But he'd stood beside her without hesitation when Trigon had possessed Rage. Had risked his life to protect her, and hadn't once flinched, even knowing such a beast roamed inside her. What she'd felt back then flowed through her again. The gratitude, the sheer relief of knowing she was accepted.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned once again. Malchior came to mind. The dreaded dragon that'd had stolen her heart for his own treacherous reasons. Beast Boy had been there too, offering her comfort. And she'd accepted it. Had allowed him to see the human side of her. That there was someone she could trust to such a degree had healed the wounds the thousand year old beast had ripped in her heart. That gratitude should've never died.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The words came from her mouth once more. The prophecy. It'd been Robin who'd sought her out. But if anything that'd been the easy task. The other four, including Beast Boy, had faced Trigon himself. They'd thrown themselves at the very manifestation of evil, not flinching.

"So?" She asked herself, speaking aloud as she stared at the ceiling. "Just why did he become an unfriend?" For that she had no answer. Sighing she expanded her senses through the walls to his room. What would she say when he returned? Be direct and just say sorry? Somehow it seemed inadequate. And time was up, he was back. Relief and dread filled her as she rose.

* * *

He gave one last look at the wide open sky. The shades that filled it were beyond human comprehension. No artist had ever painted such a scene; no poet had ever written of it. Tilting his wings, he slowly drifted lower. If he'd been a quitter, he would have died long ago in the jungles of Africa, or within the Doom Patrol. He would return, but Robin wasn't his lord and master. Rules on training would be followed to the letter. They had to be so each member of the team knew they could count on each other. But outside of that he would just ignore any unreasonable commands. If they told him to leave, he would. One didn't just abandon family when trouble arose; at least not without trying to fix it first.

The tower grew closer, and he swooped in through his room window. For a short while he stood, staring out across the ocean. Turning, he left his room, having decided to talk the matter over with Raven. Despite all the sarcasm and biting words she'd thrown his way, he figured she was the best one to discuss it with. It wasn't as if he didn't still have the one final option of leaving. Not even she could take that away from him. He would just ask her if she wanted him off the team. A simple question with a simple yes or no. She would tell the truth; she always did.

* * *

Raven stood at her open door, wondering why she felt so unsure. _Because the place where you feel accepted might soon vanished._ She pointed out to herself. If one of the other four left, then that meant the others could too. That she would be alone. Fear and worry battled with the guilt inside her, and she was unused to such intense emotions. If she'd had the time she would be running off to meditate.

She'd spent all her life controlling her emotions, but now they made her hesitant. Not only was she opening up more to the other Titans, she'd gone as far as developing a crush on one of them. As insane as it was, it'd still happened. _That's it. _She decided, walking over to her wardrobe. Opening the door there was a life-sized picture of Robin. If anyone saw it she would die. But given her room was off-limits, she thought that unlikely. Robin was so kind, and strong. He evoked confident within anyone who saw him, and he'd been there for her through so much; almost as much as Beast Boy had. Only with his black, spiked, hair he was cute; slim and muscular. When he smiled ... The violet-haired girl shook her head, realizing she'd been drooling and drifting off into fantasy land. She closed her eyes, seeking to regain control of her emotions. After this she would mediate; a lot

Knowing it was silly, but with her heart pounding, she raised her fingers to her lips and then gently laid them onto the cheek of the picture, hoping it would give her the confidence he seemed to always possess.. If she ever got up the courage, she'd decided it would one day be on the lips; the lips of the poster that is, as she would never be able to kiss the real Robin. Blushing, despite her self-control, she pulled away from the picture and turned towards her door, closing the wardrobe. She froze, panic gripping her. There in the doorway stood Beast Boy, staring at her with his eyes wide, mouth open. Whether it was in shock, or if he'd been about to say something, she didn't know.

It was over in an instant. Her embarrassment destroyed any ability to suppress her emotions, and she felt an overwhelmingly rage at the shape shifter. That he'd done nothing wrong didn't matter. He would tell, and she couldn't blame him given the way they'd treated him. Everyone would know and ... Her mind was overwhelmed at the thought and it let loose the most dreaded emoticlone. Her rage empowered the red-cloaked Raven, and it took possession of her. She grew to double her height and her eyes turned to a glowing red. The smile of a psychotic circus clown crossed her face. And then ...

She blinked, looking around. Rage had withdrawn within her, and Beast Boy was gone. But she hadn't seen him flee. So where'd he disappeared to? She swallowed, dread filling her heart, attempting to recall the last few seconds. Shadows had reached out from her, rippling with darkness, and ... She sank to the floor as the memory overwhelmed her.. The shadows had encompassed the boy, and he'd disappeared at the same time as the red-clad emoticlone had.

Doctor Light had once _nearly_ seen that place. It'd been enough to leave him shaken, needing months of psychiatric care. And now Beast Boy was there, within Rage's domain. Not just nearly within it, but actually in there; with Her. She tried to stand, but collapsed back on the floor. Against her will the feel of him in her arms after Malchior had shattered her came to her mind. When he'd seen her whole after Trigon's defeat, the way his eyes had lit up, and he'd embraced her. Trembling, she shook her head to clear it of the memories. She had to get her friend out of there. But ... How?

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, needing the calmness the mantra brought her. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." Came the words, again and again, spoken as though nothing was wrong. Legs now steady, she stood and reached for her mirror. Soon as this was over she would really meditate.

* * *

The mirror deposited her next to Knowledge who was sitting, reading from her book. The emoticlone closed it, and stared at her.

"Beast Boy is with Rage in her domain." Raven spoke, abandoning the facade of emotionlessness.

"I know." Knowledge said. "We all do."

"Well? What can I do?" The girl demanded.

"First of all calm down?" The yellow-clad emoticlone replied.

"Calm down? He's with her! Who knows what she ..." Her voice rose.

"Anger will only empower her." Knowledge spoke sharply, interrupting.

Raven stared. The emoticlone had never spoken in such a tone before.

"Given the situation." The emoticlone said, her voice now normal. "Empowering her is the last thing we want to do."

She nodded, and sat down across from Knowledge. "So what do I do?" She asked, trying to focus on being calm.

"Can you enter her domain?"

"No." Raven replied. "It's a prison I made especially for her, but she's also capable of sealing it from the inside. I can't enter it. At least not right now."

"Poor BB." Knowledge said with a small frown.

"So what do I do?" She asked again.

"I don't know. But you've got to remain calm. Get angry, and she gets more powerful." Knowledge tilted her head to one side, looking thoughtful. "And no obsessing over the obsessor." She added.

"Obsessor?" Raven asked, confused.

"The boy you think about so much when you should be meditating." The yellow-clad emoticlone said.

"You mean Robin? Why call him that. She felt ... mad." Gulping, she focused on being calm.

"There's not exactly much to do in here." Knowledge pointed out. "Thinking of nicknames for people is one of the ways we pass the time." She shrugged. "At least since Happy came up with the game. You got admit at times it fits him."

"Maybe." Raven admitted. "But why shouldn't I think about him?"

"Jealousy. There's a hint of anger in you towards Starfire when you do." The yellow-clad emoticlone simply said.

"Oh."

* * *

Her door had been open, and he'd simply planned to knock on the side and sing out to her. Seeing her plant a kiss on a poster of boy wonder, even via her fingers, had come as a shock to him. He'd felt equal parts amusement and jealousy. Then Rage had started to take control, and he hadn't had a clue on what to do. Or, for that matter, what had caused the reaction.

He'd wondered if she really hated him so much that that was the way she was reacting to him just for being there. The idea of that being the case had hurt. But if true then he should've fled, and not stayed. On the other hand, if she was going to run amok, someone had to try and snap her out of it, or at the very least give warning to the other Titans.

Then those demonic eyes had focused on him, and darkness had reached out to grab him. It'd been like falling into her mirror, only there'd been no light. Turning into a bat he'd slowed his fall, all the while trying to detect the ground below. It'd been a long way down. And now he stood in the darkness, sending out pulses of sound to paint a map of what was around him.

"Not like the last guy, huh?" Came a demonic voice. "He was so afraid of the dark he snapped before he even got in here. Well, as he would say, let's shed a little light on the subject"

_She's talking about Doctor Light. _The shape shifter realized. He looked up as a blood-red moon appeared in the sky. It wasn't much, but the world around him came into view. He switched back to his human form, and looked at the embodiment of Raven's Rage. _Does she really hate me that much? _He wondered, and anger of his own erupted within him. He'd done nothing to deserve this. And he'd been wrong. It seemed she could take away his ability to just leave. The anger built, driven by months of resentment, and overflowed inside of him.

The emoticlone frowned, sensing something wrong. Those who were draw into this little prison Raven had cooked up for her always felt fear. But now, from him, there came ... anger? It washed over her, and her own rage flared in response. It was always burning inside her, but now ... She tried to maintain control, but thought and reason left her. She snarled, and felt the rage she projected become focused within the one she'd drawn in here. He should have cowered, instead his own fury burned brighter as did her own.

* * *

She stood, and placed her mirror safely in a drawer. She would have to face the others; would have to tell them what'd happened. Walking slowly, she headed for the commons room. They were all gathered there, pondering the situation. Whether the team would remain whole, or break up. Each analyzing their own actions and condemning themselves. Looking up at her they all frowned. Obviously her facade of emotionlessness was severely cracked, if not altogether gone. Her face must've already told them the news was bad.

"He left?" Cyborg asked, disbelievingly.

"Not exactly." She replied, looking around. "Actually, he's sort of in this room right now?"

"That's a relief." Robin said, looking around. "He opened his mouth to speak.

"Just sort of." She added, interrupting him. "See, he sort of ... well ..." She closed her eyes and focused on being calm. "Recall what nearly happened to Doctor Light?" She asked.

They all nodded.

"Well, it happened again. Only instead of being drawn halfway into Rage's domain, Beast Boy was pulled all the way there. And that's where he's at now." She closed her mouth.

"Rage? Domain?" Robin asked. He'd never been told about her emoticlones.

"You mean he's in Nevermore?" Cyborg asked. "You've got to go and get him. Who knows what Rage will do with him?" His face was pale.

"I can't." She simply replied. "It's not Nevermore exactly where she took him. It's a pocket of space even lower than that. I made it as a prison. But I made it a bit too good. I can seal her within it. Usually. But the problem is that its too easy too seal. She can keep me out of it."

"Someone explain." Robin ordered, looking between Raven and Cyborg.

She opened her mouth to speak, but her head started to feel strange. A sense of insane fury filled her mind, overwhelming her. it came with a blinding bolt of pain, and she collapsed to the floor.

Inside her, Rage clashed with Beast Boy; both committed to a battle to the death.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Raven's obsession, _at least for now_, Robin. Given she developed such strong feelings for Malchior, I can see her falling for the boy wonder. As their leader he would be charismatic; someone strong and confident.

And it seems Beast Boy is taking a break from the team, in another dimension.

Two chapters without a fight scene. A first for me. But given Beast Boy's location I'm sure there will be plenty of that in the next chapter.

Thanks to those who read and review.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Immediately following the previous chapter.  
_

* * *

_**A Fight Close to Death,... Raven,... Rage,...**_

He became the beast, a humanoid creature of immense power. If he hadn't been consumed by the raw fury that coursed through him, he would have wondered why he was still aware; why the form obeyed his command to tear the hated figure before him to pieces. Or, at least, why it tried to. His charge was met with a huge fist formed of black energy. As it closed to crush him, he took on the form of a humming bird that flew between the fingers. Then he was the beast again, racing along the arm attached to the hand, howling as he ran.

His arm was raised to slash the offending creature in front of him, when blasts of black magic tossed him back. Landing on his feet, he stared at his enemy with pure hatred pumping through his veins. Four glowing red eyes amidst a dark red hood stared back; there was a snarl on her face. His rage increased and he charged again. The black hand was easily sidestepped this time, and his slash left four thin trickles of blood running down her cheek. That she remained alive was due only to the step she'd taken backwards. He moved to follow, to strike again. A sphere of the dark energy enclosed him, and he pounded on it. It refused to budge. Driving his claws at it, they ripped through. Suddenly the barrier was gone. Breathing hard, he stared at the foe who'd nearly trapped him. He wondered what her flesh would taste like.

Somewhere in her mind she knew this wasn't the way it was supposed to be, but the rage that consumed her was everything; there was no room for anything but the all-encompassing fury. She struck at the raging beast with her dark magic, anticipating its demise. It escaped, and that flamed the fury within her. Not only that, but it almost got close enough to hurt her before she blasted it backwards. It landed on its feet, unharmed, and charged again. She felt its claws swipe across her face, and disbelief ran through her. Forming a barrier she tried to trap it. With it pinned she could easily kill it. Only it pierced the barrier and came at her once more.

He had raw strength and speed. She had access to immense reserves of dark magic. Both clashed time and time again.

He circled around the arm that reached out, having quickly adapted to the attack. It was long ranged and powerful, but was telegraphed by the movement of her own arm. With the adrenaline pounding through his veins, his reflexes were fast enough to avoid it. Running along its length once more, his eyes never wavered from her. Her hands rose to send bolts of energy at him, and he swerved just in time. He was so close, but she faded into the ground.

He jumped away from the spot where he'd been. Staying there, he'd learned was dangerous. He crouched down, opening all his senses. A heart beat about twenty steps behind him made him dodge randomly to his left. As he turned to face the half demon, black energy struck the ground where he'd been. He panted, watching.

She reached up to touch her face again, trying to regain control of her senses. But the fury within her was like nothing she'd ever felt before; there was no reasoning with it. Her hands rose and her rage took on physical form to crush the beast that stood before her. Reaching for more power she drove it forth; not a hand this time, but a wall that nothing could escape.

It nearly got him. The wall left nowhere to run to, and was high enough he wouldn't have had time to fly over it. With at most a second to formulate a plan, he crouched low, and changed into an amoeba that fell into a crack in the ground. As the wall rush over him, he returned to his beast form, howling.

She stared, not believing what she saw. How had it avoided being crushed by the wall? That it had only incensed her more, and her hands rose, pointing. Bolts of energy slammed forth, creating craters on the ground. That she alternated with ripping up large chunks of rock, and smashing them down wherever the hated shape shifter might be. Power poured from her, unheeding of anything but the need to destroy.

Dust whirled through the air, and the shape shifter smiled viciously. He moved back out of range of the ongoing destruction, waiting. The fury of the monster he wished to destroy didn't waver, and more dust rose to block his sight. Launching himself forward, he turned into a White-throated Needletail. Striving for all the speed he could, he soon hit a hundred miles per hour. He raced through the cloud of dust, taking a chance the random destruction wouldn't strike him, and emerged on the other side. His surprise was total as he transformed into a T-rex. Colliding with his red-clad foe, he slashed with his claws and tried to bite her. His velocity as he passed sent her flying, and he transformed into an amoeba that fell to the ground.

The raw outpouring of energy stopped. Rising to one knee, she peered around her. The dust cloud she'd created had acted as a smoke screen; how stupid she'd been. She had more than a scratch now. Blood poured down from her skull. If not for the brief instant the beast had had to strike, she would be missing her head. Several ribs were broken, and one of them jabbed into her right lung. Her right arm hug limply. Across her chest and broken arm there were huge slashes. Blood was starting to pool around her. If her ability to fight had depended on physical strength, she would be easy prey now.

The flow of blood stopped, and she pushed the pain to one side. There was still a fight to finish. She took to the air and started blasting the ground from a safe distance.

The ground rippled beneath him from the barrage. Eventually she would strike where he was. He had two options. Fight or flee. Given the rage that drove him, the later was disregarded without a thought. He peered up from the crack where he'd taken refuge, and considered his options. The demon was only looking down, paying no attention to what was above her. He wondered just how large this place was. Turning into a mouse he took off, scampering along at ten miles per hour.

The place was huge. Two miles away from where the four-eyed emoticlone was still pounding the ground, he transformed into a sparrow and took to the sky. Eventually he changed into a Golden Eagle. As he'd several times told the rest of the team, the size of his shapes depended on his own size and the DNA that he used for the shape. Male Golden Eagles were smaller than the females. But he'd searched a long time to find the largest male he could. There were always abnormalities within nature, and he'd found a male that weighed in at sixteen pounds. Given his own small stature, when transformed he was thirteen pounds. Above average even for a female, let alone a male. Spreading his wings, the fearsome predator of the air prepared to hunt.

The impact from above shocked her; the talons slashing at her eyes caused panic. Hands tore at the thrashing bird, and tossed it from her as she blasted it with dark energy bolts. With her one remaining good eye she took aim and flung all she could at the offending creature. It fell from the sky. She fell too. The movement had caused her broken ribs to finally puncture her right lung. She impacted on the ground with violent force, breaking more bones. She lost consciousness.

The final bolt of dark magic had hit him full in the chest. His wings barely served to glide him to the ground. Dying, he switched to the form of a worm, and sought to hide. Such damage wouldn't kill the lowly invertebrate, but he would be a long time recovering.

* * *

Raven struggled to cope as the war raged within her. Rage might be an emoticlone, but she was still a part of Raven and the energy she used came from the same body. The injuries she suffered mean damage, even if not as severe, to that body.

At first she'd thought the battle would be brief. That Beast Boy would die swiftly beneath the out-of-control fury she felt coming from the emoticlone. Yet it had lasted for what seemed like forever. And while she didn't know if the shape shifter had been hurt, she knew Rage had been. From the agony in her own body she knew ribs had been broken, along with an arm. Then, as the fight continued, she felt her face become a mass of scratches and a lung collapse. Suddenly she felt over a dozen bones in her body snap. Thankfully her own body actually suffered only one eighth of that damage. There were eight emoticlones, and when one was hurt that was the fraction of damage and pain her body took. In this case, that was bad enough. The red-clad emoticlone had to be near death. She wondered if that mean Beast Boy was still alive, that he'd won the fight.

"Friend Raven?" Starfire asked, looking at the violet-haired girl who rest on a bed in the tower clinic.

"The fight's stopped." She told the orange-skinned Titan. "I'm not sure what happened, but Rage is pretty badly hurt."

"And friend Beast Boy?"

"I'm not sure. I can only sense when my emoticlones get hurt." Her voice was impassive. She'd had enough of letting her emotions run out of control.

"Are you now able to enter the domain of Rage?" The alien asked with a voice full of worry.

"I wish. But the seal is still in place." Raven replied.

"What can we do? Should we enter this Nevermore friend Cyborg spoke of?"

"I don't know. And Rage's domain is separate from Nevermore. It wouldn't do any good." She tried to keep from crying, forcing her voice to sound apathetic. Of all the Titans he was the one who had reached out to her the most, and now he might be dead at her hands. "I don't even know if I should go into a healing trance." She added, managing to make her voice sound calm only with great effort. "If he's still alive healing Rage might not be a good idea."

"What happens to you if Rage dies?" Starfire wondered, worrying over Raven as well as Beast Boy.

"I don't know. Much as I hate her, it probably wouldn't be good if she dies." The violet-haired girl intoned, staring at the ceiling.

"You must heal yourself, friend Raven." The orange-skinned Titan spoke. "You are both my friends, and I do not wish to see either of you hurt."

"I know what Rage's fury is like." Raven said, not entirely paying attention. "This time it was so different. Usually she's in control of it, but what I felt wasn't normal. Not even for her. She _wanted _to kill." Her eyes widen. "How stupid of me. That's what I should do. First heal, and then meditate until no trace of anger or hate gets through to her. She's the evil part of me, but she's no killer. Even at my worst, I've never felt the desire to kill. Neither has she. I should be helping her remain in control."

"That is good. You know what you must do." Starfire sounded excited. "Then friend Beast Boy will be saved, and all shall be well." She smiled.

"If it's not too late." Raven replied. "If he's still alive." She stretched out flat on the cot, and entered a healing trance.

* * *

Her body nearly healed, she rose from the ground. _This is bad._ The red-clad emoticlone thought, looking around. There were signs of the battle everywhere, but the shape shifter was nowhere to be seen. She could feel the Raven who controlled their body enforcing tranquility. _Too little too late_. She thought. Even in the beginning it wouldn't have mattered. The fury Beast Boy had felt had interacted with her own innate sense of anger. They'd built on each other, and run out of control. Why that'd happened she didn't know. She just knew it had.

Walking along the ground she spotted the wing of a bird. Her frown intensified. There was no way he could've survived. Her final attack, even as she'd fell, had finished the job the fury had demanded she do. Reason had come to her too late. She stared at the severed limb, wondering what would happen now. Raven, she knew, wouldn't take this well.

On reflex she erected a shield of black energy. A huge cobra with its mouth wide, fangs dripping venom, was smashed on the other side. A rattling sound accompanied by a hiss came from it. It then vanished into a humming bird that swiftly retreated. She took to the air, getting out of striking range of the shape shifter. It seemed he'd not only survived, but was also quite capable of carrying on the battle. _And they think he's the weak one. _She mused to herself, looking at the destruction she'd wrecked below.

She could sense the fury coming from him, and it tried to fan the heat that was always at the core of her being. Sometimes that heat was but a small flicker; mostly that was the case. But sensing anger or hate would feed it. When Raven felt true fury, that was when it ran out of control. Now, it was the rage that came from the shape shifter that was threatening to overwhelm her. She hoped Raven didn't cease her meditations any time soon.

"Why are you so angry." She yelled out across the landscape. There was no response. "This wasn't meant to be a fight to the death." She added, at the top of her lungs. "I didn't know bringing you here would cause that sort of reaction." She looked around, nervously including glances at the sky. It was amusing that she, the embodiment of rage within a half-demon, could feel such fear.

He heard the words, and wondered if they were true. _Why bring me here if not to _... He let the thought freeze in his mind. _Why had he thought Raven would try to kill him? Why did he feel such overwhelming fury?_ He took human form within yelling distance of Rage, but far enough he would have time to react if she attacked. He said nothing.

She sighed in relief. She could sense the fury in him dwindle, and become something she could handle. Still he didn't speak, and the enmity didn't entirely disappear. "I'm Rage." She spoke. "Or Anger, or Hate, if you prefer. But I think you already knew that. When Raven feels those feelings they are intensified within me, and I in return fan them in her. I didn't know that would happen with you." She paused. "It's not in my nature to say this often, but I'm sorry."

"Why am I here?" He demanded.

She gulped, and struggled to keep the anger in his voice from affecting her. _No wonder Raven meditates so much. _She mused to herself. "Curiosity." She replied. "I had the chance and took it. "Plus it's in my nature to fight. But I'm a part of Raven and it's not in her nature, nor mine, to kill. What happened before was not what I desired."

"She hates me that much?" He asked.

She blinked. "There's no hate in her for you. Why would you think that?"

"I'm here? Aren't I?"

"True. Mainly because you were within my reach when I had a moment of freedom. She's worried sick about you."

He frowned at that, wondering if he should believe it. "How do I get out?" He asked.

Now it was her turn to frown. "Two ways. Either you defeat me, or I defeat you. A fight, but not one that kills."

"Why not just let me leave? We've already fought."

"But no winner was decided. And the seal on this place requires there be one. I wanted to keep her out, so the spell I used is quite complicated." She studied the shape shifter. Despite the battle, his wounds were gone. There were massive scars, but she knew Raven would fix those. "Do you hate Raven?" She asked, still wondering at the fury he'd expressed towards her. He was quiet for a long time, and she feared that he might.

"I don't think so." He finally replied. "I'm not sure what I feel towards her anymore."

"If it helps any, she's worried about you. She'd condemning herself for letting me free long enough to bring you here."

"Hrmph." He wasn't sure what he felt. He looked around at the landscape, careful to keep Rage within sight at all times. It was dark with just a blood-red moon, but it wasn't the sort of place he would have expected someone like Rage to live. It was rocky in places, but between those spots there were flowers. He looked up again, wondering how they could survive with so little light.

"It's not a moon." Rage explained, seeing his look. "It's the sun." She shrugged. "It's the best I can do. The flowers I choose for their ability to adapt to this sort of light."

"You made this place?" He asked.

"No. Raven did. But after she left me here I made changes. Even for me nothingness is lonely."

"What did you do to Doctor Light that scared him so much?"

"I didn't do anything." She frowned. "That was depressing. I like a good fight as much as Brave does, but he just started screaming. I think he was afraid of the dark, so I let him go. Luckily I didn't have the seal in place, or else things could have turned out bad."

"Guess that's why he's so obsessed with lighting up the world." Beast Boy mused.

She floated down to the ground and sat cross-legged. She was pleased when the shape shifter approached her, and sat no more than thirty feet away. She would no longer have to yell, and she could see him clearly. In her mind she could sometimes hear the other emoticlones talking about him. They found him interesting, and so did she. Now that the danger was over with, she was glad he'd been the one within reach during her brief moment of freedom. If she was right, he would become not just important but vital to Raven.

"When do we fight?" He asked.

She shrugged. "I'm in no hurry. It's very rare that I get someone to talk to. The last person was that Doctor Light, and all he did was scream. Not exactly a very stimulating conversation."

"You're definitely a part of Raven." Beast Boy mused. "You say she doesn't hate me?" He asked.

"No. Right now she, and all the other Titans, are worried about you."

He raised an eyebrow, expressing disbelief.

"Emotions are strange." She added. "And friends can be taken for granted. You should talk to Knowledge after you leave here. She would be able to express things better than I can."

"I very much doubt Raven would allow me in her mind." He mused. "Should I ever develop a death wish, I will ask her to let me."

Rage smiled. "She would at the worst yell at you."

"Hrm. Sure." His sarcastic tone would have done the topic of discussion proud.

"You're angry at them." She noted. "Very very angry."

"I am." He admitted, after a few seconds of thought.

"I guess I can understand that." She mused."I am the embodiment of anger within Raven. But I think some of it may be misplaced."

"Oh?" He looked at her.

"You're the one who chose to eat meat, knowing the fury you were feeling doing so. You could've refused from the start."

"I was afraid." He admitted. "At the time, I was more afraid I would have to leave the team than I was disgusted over eating meat. But in time that changed. It took a while for the disgust to overwhelm the fear."

"Loneliness is a fearsome thing." She admitted, looking around. Taking a deep breath she turned her attention back to the shape shifter. "You heard Raven say it would serve you right after Starfire asked if you were going to be dismissed from the team?" The fury that came from him made her clench her teeth as she struggled to maintain control.

He nodded. "I did."

Rage nodded. "She was angry at the time." She informed him. "But not at you. You were just a convenient target for her to take it out on. The rest were doing it, so that's what she did."

"Angry?"

The emoticlone wondered how much to tell him. She shrugged and decided it didn't matter given he'd seen Raven with the poster of Robin. "She's jealous of Starfire and Robin. That leads to anger. That's why she's been so harsh with you recently. You're a convenient target for her to take it out on. She didn't even realize her comments had ceased to be merely sarcasm that you found amusing, and had instead become sharp thorns that ripped your flesh." She clenched her teeth again and wondered at the anger that came from him. Surely her words should have soothed him. Knowledge was better at this than she was. But still he was sitting and talking with her.

He felt the emotions that rushed through him, and became aware of just what they were. "Jealousy." He muttered to himself.

"What?" The red-clad emoticlone asked, puzzled.

"I saw her with the poster of Robin, and I was jealous." He admitted. "That might be part of the reason I was so angry when you drew me into this place. That and what you just mentioned." He blinked, realizing what he'd just said. "I really hope she didn't hear me say that." He added.

"She didn't. While we can share what she sees and hears, it would be too confusing for her to see and hear all that the eight of us see and hear. Unless it's something like pain that draws her attention, she's clueless as to what we're doing." She smiled. "And I won't tell her. At least not yet."

"Not yet?" He dared to ask.

"While I'm not the evil she thinks me to be, I am not the most responsible emotion either." She smiled at him. "Don't worry so much. She won't hurt you even if she knew. Sure she would throw a tantrum, but she would actually be flattered. She doesn't think herself very pretty."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "Better to ask Knowledge or Timid that. Unlike anger, it's not something I understand."

"Which once again involves me having a death wish." He mused, smiling back at her.

For some reason her heart started to beat faster. "She's worried." Rage spoke again, ignoring the strange sensation. "It isn't something I would normally care about, but given how difficult it is to maintain control of my senses with you here, we should fight and get it over with. It needs to be done while she's trying to maintain tranquility."

"Okay." He stood.

"Just to make sure you put your all into it, I will make a deal with you." She added, still sitting.

"Deal?"

"Trust me, you've got plenty enough power. But if you win I will tell you two things that will help you learn a few new tricks."

"If you can do that then why didn't Raven ..."

"She didn't see you fight just now. I bet you learned a few things there too?"

He nodded. "I can control the beast, so I can use it now. And given it was life-or-death situation, I really pushed my limits. It's been a while since I did that. I'd become too complacent."

She smiled and stood. "Let the fight begin." She simply said, regretting that he would be leaving so soon. Her face felt weird from the rare attempt at smiling, but somehow it suited her current mood.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Thanks to guest on the advice regarding Starfire's speech. I will "try" to make her sound more like she normally does.

Anger seems more like Knowledge than I'd planned for her to be. But the main part of their conversation was on anger, and she would be very knowledgeable on that particular subject. She would know what causes it, and how people react when they feel it. Plus she would know more about Raven. As for her smiling. Why not? If an emoticlone like Brave can, why not the rest of them.

Wonder who will win the fight, and just what can Rage tell Beast Boy that can help him learn a few new tricks. Why would she think he would be vital to Raven's future.

And Beast Boy jealous?

Thanks to those who read and review.


	4. Chapter 4

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Immediately following the previous chapter._

* * *

**_The Second Fight,... A Talk,... Back to the Tower,..._**

She smiled and stood. "Let the fight begin." She simply said.

Beast Boy switched to a cheetah and raced along the ground, wanting to put some distance between them. Attacking her head-on given her firepower wasn't smart, even with his ability to dodge. Sneaking close, and making a surprise attack was the best bet. _But how to do that? _He wondered. In the last fight he'd only hurt her twice. Once from a smoke screen of dust, and once from the air. Both were times when she hadn't been looking. That was what he needed to repeat. A blast of dark energy struck the ground near him, and he dodged. It seemed she wasn't going to give him time to think. Not something he could blame her for. The massive cat grinned. He decided he liked the red-clad emoticlone.

Rage took to the air and blasted at the swiftly moving form with her magic. Not wanting the shape shifter to suddenly turn and leap at her in the form of a snake, she chose to stay rather high. That, along with all the rocky areas in her domain, meant she had a poor chance of hitting her target. She decided even if he didn't win, she would still tell him one of the two ways to enhance his ability to fight. It was strange, but she was feeling generous. _And a bit overconfident. _She though, recalling their first fight. _Focus. _She ordered herself.

_How to get close?_ The shape shifter wondered, using the piles of rocks to his advantage. The way she was managing to track him suggested she was using more than just her eyes. Unlike the first time, she wasn't out of control. _Wonder if empathy or her eyesight would take precedence in tracking me?_ He mused. It was an idle thought as he had no way of separating his emotions from his body, but still it rattled around in his mind. He turned around another pile of rocks and kept running. Looking at the sky, an idea came to him.

He'd been running for five minutes now, and she'd sent hundreds of energy bolts his way. _How long will he keep this up? _She mused, enjoying the chase. The shape shifter was, by no means, an easy target. It would have been more fun if he had some way to strike back. However she was in this to win, and didn't plan to give him the chance. Both her eyes and her more demonic senses were kept focused on him.

Still running in the form of a cheetah, he picked up a small rock in his mouth. The vague idea he had would've been easier if there'd been a breeze. Still, there was a chance. _Wonder if there's ever any wind in this place?_ He thought, and doubted it. Turning, he made a loop around a particularly large pile of rocks, keeping out of visual sight. He used his head to toss the rock into the air, swatted it violently with his paw, and hitched a ride on it in the form of an amoeba.

If she'd been tracking him with just her eyesight, she would've been taken by surprise. As it was, she barely had time to reach out and enclose the shape shifter within a barrier. It seemed he'd made a dash at her, leaping and then transforming into some form of insect. However_, s_he had him safely netted with her power. _Unless he manages to break it. _She mused. But the barrier he was in was much too small to allow him to change into anything large. She'd won; she could see something through the blackness of the barrier, and she could sense him there.

It'd been close. He'd detached himself from the pebble just before Rage had snared it. It was inside the barrier, while he was outside, resting on its surface, still in the form of an amoeba. If her empathy only gave direction, she would think he was safely trapped inside. Still, he was fifteen feet from her. How to get closer? If there'd been a breeze he could've hitched a ride with it. Unfortunately there wasn't.

Rage gave the barrier a little shake, wondering why he wasn't surrendering. Did he really think he could escape? Though the blackness of the barrier made it difficult to see, there was a small shape inside, and she could sense him with her empathy. Maybe that was it. Maybe he was hoping to fool her into thinking there was nothing inside. To his eyes the trap would appear to be pure black, and maybe he hadn't considered her other senses. Smiling, the red-clad emoticlone decided to wait and see how long he would play possum. Given what he knew, it was a good trick.

On top of the barrier, still in the form of an amoeba, he let go and extended appendages from his cell walls. Given his size and shape, it would take a long time to fall to the ground. With the appendages, he could glide quite a ways. But it would take time. If she moved, it would fail.

Frowning she peered at the sphere she'd trapped him in. It was strange, but she could have sworn she could feel him getting closer. But her eyes said he was still in the trap. _Maybe frustration is just making his emotions stronger; hence making him appear closer. _She mused. Looking at the ball of dark magic, she rattled it some more.

Slowly drifting, he landed on her nose and grabbed on.

A sense of danger made her release her hold on the trap, and she teleported away. Turning to look, she saw a small stone fall from the sky. _A trap. _She realized. But the sense of danger hadn't faded, and she could sense him. She gulped. He was something small, and either on her, or inside her. Still pondering the situation, she felt a jolt of electricity course through her.

For a second Beast Boy turned into an electric eel, and sent a considerable charge into his foe. He immediately switched back to an amoeba, and hung on once more. When she teleported, he repeated the process. Rage dropped to her knees.

Turning back to his human form he knelt beside her. "You okay?" He asked, holding her steady.

She nodded, looking at the hands on her shoulders. "Was that the best shock you could give?" She asked, not bothering to remove his hands.

"No, but I didn't want to hurt you."

"Guess you win then." Rage sat down, and rested her back against a boulder. Losing should have made her angry, but for some reason this time she didn't mind.

Beast Boy sat down close to her. "Was thinking snake, but didn't know how the venom would affect you. So went with an electric eel instead."

"The seal is broken." She said, her dark voice sounding sad. "Raven will be here soon, and she'll take you out. There's no gateway like in Nevermore, so you'll need her help to leave."

"Was fun." He told her. "The second fight anyway. I knew you were a lot stronger than I am, so I had to use a trick."

"That's the first hint." She replied. "You're a man, not a beast. No animal has that sort of cunning."

"Hrm." He mused, looking out over the flowers. Despite the two fights, they were still blooming. "So even if I turn into an ape, for example, I'm not limited to what an ape can do?"

"Right. Use its strength and instincts, but guide it with your human intellect."

He laughed. "According to Raven, I don't have an intellect of any sort."

"I'm sure you do." She smiled, and it didn't feel so wierd anymore. "Sometimes you just misplace it."

"What's the second way to learn a few new tricks?" He asked, looking amused.

"Tamaranian stew." She replied, feeling like giggling. She wondered if something was wrong with her.

"Tamaranian stew?" Beast Boy asked, sounding puzzled.

She grinned. "I'm sure you can figure it out. If not, I'm going to be mad."

The shape shifter stared at the red sun directly above them. "Why're you so different from the last time I saw you?" He asked.

She shrugged. "Anger issues maybe."

"Oh."

"I was possessed by Trigon then. It was more him than me you saw." She shrugged. "It was fun seeing him get taken down a few notches." Looking at the boy she wondered if any of the other emoticlones had yet given any thought as to what it meant for Raven to be half demon. She didn't think so. From what little she knew, even Knowledge hadn't realized it yet.

Taking a look up in her dark sky, the red-clad emoticlone made up her mind. Picking up a jagged rock, she slashed the palm of her hand.

"What are you doing?" Beast Boy yelled, shocked. He looked around for something to stop the bleeding with.

"Drink." She ordered in her dark voice, holding out her hand.

"What? Why?" He peered at her, confused and worried.

"Trust me. Now drink before she gets her."

"Why?" His tone held a hint of suspicion.

"This won't in any way hurt her. The time will come when it will help her. Now DRINK!" She commanded, sensing Raven getting closer.

He leaned forward and took the hand, still uncertain. Looking at her, he decided to trust her. For some reason, he liked her. He licked some of the blood from her hand.

"Good." She sighed in relief, pulling the hand back to hide it amidst her cloak. "Tell no one about that." She ordered, her dark tone serious. "Do not write it down, do not mutter it to yourself even when you're alone. For what matter, try not to even think about it."

"Why?" He asked, the taste of blood strange in his mouth, and not at all pleasant.

She looked up, knowing Raven would arrive in seconds. "Trigon sees all." She answered. "But this place is hidden even from him. It exists as a part of Raven, deep within her mind. And for all his power, he can't see what exists that far down within a person. Even Nevermore he can reach into, should he chose to, since Raven is still the portal." She looked down at her hidden hand. "He will not have seen what we just did, but if you say even a word about it outside of here he will know. Even if you mutter it to yourself, he will know."

He frowned, wondering what Trigon had to do with this. He'd been defeated.

"Yes. He's been weakened and defeated. But he still lives. I would prefer he not know about this." Rage's tone was serious.

"Okay. I just hope I don't talk in my sleep."

She smiled. "Me too." She admitted.

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The violet-haired girl intoned time and time again, commanding tranquility within her mind and body. For a while she'd felt no violence coming from Rage; it had been unnaturally quiet. Then she'd felt another battle start. Less intense than the first, but still a fight, and it had worried her. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, trying to banish the fear. But it also brought hope. If Beast Boy had been dead, then there would have been no one for the emoticlone to fight. So he had to be still alive. If she hadn't been so focused on her mantra, she would have wept for joy. As it was she just continued, and hoped. This battle wasn't as vicious as the first so perhaps ...

She screamed in pain, as what felt like an electric current passed through her.

"Friend Raven." Starfire was at her side, looking worried. Her face tired.

Another current coursed through her, and she nearly lost consciousness. _What is going on?_ She wondered, starting to feel panicked. Struggling to her knees, she resumed her mantra. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned. And then she felt it; the seal on Rage's domain vanished. She ignored Starfire's questions, and vanished up through the ceiling, into her room. She grabbed the mirror that was her portal to Nevermore. Turning it over, she removed a small panel from the back. It revealed a flawless obsidian surface so pure and perfect one could see one's self in it. She looked, and was drawn into the gateway.

She used her powers of telekinesis to speed her passage through the darkness that led to Rage's domain. Mentally she prepared herself to fight. Emerging into the dark landscape with the red sun, she stopped. Reaching out she sensed the two of them nearby, and headed straight to them.

"Well look who decided to show up." Rage growled, looking at Raven.

Beast Boy stared at the emoticlone and wondered at the change in her. She turned towards him and winked with one of her four eyes, smiling a little.

"If you've hurt Beast Boy I will make sure you never get out again." Raven stated.

"Hrm. So how would that be different from what you're trying to do now?" The red-clad emoticlone asked, as if finding the suggestion amusing.

"I'm okay." Beast Boy spoke up.

She turned to look him over. Her face went white as she saw the scars on him. "No you're not." She claimed, voice weak. Black energy formed around her hands, and she took a step towards Rage.

"Now. Stop." He ordered, stepping between them.

"Can't talk to her at all." Rage claimed with a smile. "I think she has anger management problems."

He turned back towards her. "It might have been rough at first, but I'm glad I met you."

She blinked all four eyes. "Yeah. Sorry about that." She replied. "Didn't know that would happen."

"It's okay." He shrugged.

"Won't happen again." She promised. "And I'm pretty sure we'll meet again in the future."

"No you won't." Raven tried to interrupt them. Her hands still held black energy, but Beast Boy remained in the way.

"Good." The shape shifter replied, speaking to Rage and ignoring Raven.

The red-clad emoticlone blinked again as she realized he really meant it. Almost against her will, she stepped forward and hugged him.

The shape shifter stood there stunned, and then slowly raised his own hands to hug the lonely emoticlone back. "Til we meet again." He told her gently.

"Til then." She agreed, her voice dark.

He turned to see Raven staring, shocked. "You hugged her." She stated, voice void of emotion, eyes wide.

"Technically I returned her hug. But yeah, I guess you could say that." He stated matter of factly.

"Hey. Clueless." Rage spoke. "Did you come here to yak all day, or did you come to get him out of here." She smirked. "Cause you know, I don't mind if he stays a bit longer."

Raven stepped forward and grabbed the person she'd come for, and vanished, dragging him with her. When they reappeared they were in her room. "You hugged her." She stated again, staring at him.

"I thought we agreed that I did return her hug." He replied.

"But she's Rage. She's evil."

He shrugged. "Still, it was a nice hug. Not often I gets hugs from a cute girl."

"Cute..." She sat down on her bed, stunned. Shaking her head, she looked back up. "We need to talk." She said.

"Yeah. We do. But don't be too serious okay? It ruins your whole aura of being mysterious." He sat down beside her.

She blinked. He didn't seem too angry with her. Not over the way she'd treated him, or for getting cast into the prison she'd made for Rage. "The scars first." She said, and pulled him with her down through the floor, into the clinic.

"Friend Beast Boy." Starfire yelled, and practically jumped into his arms.

"Hey Starfire. Glad to see you too." He patted her on the shoulder. Returning her hugs might get boy wonder mad at him.

She stood back. "Are you okay?" She asked, looking him over, noting the scars. "Should I prepare a Tamaranian remedy of healing?"

"I'm fine." He reassured her. "But I am hungry. Some Tamaranian stew might be nice."

She beamed at him. No one ever asked her to cook for them. "I shall prepare some right away." She declared, and flew from the room.

"You're going to eat her cooking?" Raven asked, once again shocked.

"I'm curious about it." He replied, shrugging. From what Rage had said, it was something he should investigate. He rubbed his stomach, hungry. "How long was I gone?" He asked, looking at the clock. Surely it'd been more than two hours.

"Over a day." Raven replied. "Lie down on the cot." She ordered.

He did so. It hadn't just been a whole day without food, but a full night without sleep as well. The cot felt good.

She reached out, and started to heal him. There were no wounds from whatever had caused the scars, so she just concentrated on removing the disfiguring marks. When they were all gone she wondered what to say. "Sorry." She finally said.

He smiled. Like Rage, it was obvious she wasn't into saying that word very often. He recalled the question he'd went to her room to ask her. "Do you want me off the team?" He asked, becoming more serious.

"No." She replied, keeping her voice void of emotion.

"You sounded a lot more sure of yourself when you claimed it would serve me right." He studied the violet-haired girl closely. His own tone matched hers.

_So he had heard. _She thought to herself, wondering how to reply. "I would miss you." She replied sincerely, dropping the facade for a second.

"Should I leave? Cyborg obviously doesn't care to have me around, nor does Robin."

"No." Raven insisted. "Things got out of hand." She explained. "I'm not sure how. I guess Cyborg was so used to teasing you over tofu and meat, that he didn't know when to stop. He took it for granted it was just like it always was; good natured fun. He knows better now. He even stocked the fridge with all the tofu bacon and eggs you'll need for the next month." She stopped to think before continuing. "As for Robin. He saw the team bickering all the time and tried to stop it. Plus he was worried if tofu was enough to keep you healthy."

"It is." Beast Boy replied, tone still void of emotion. "In the Doom Patrol we had physicals. They did tests to make sure I was getting all the nutrients I needed. When I switch forms I get all the trace minerals and vitamins I need. I might not get something like vitamin B12 when I'm human. But even a few minutes a day in another shape fixes that. I'm the son of two geneticists; I know all about nutrition."

"Oh." _If Robin had bothered to ask. _She realized. But then all of them had come to think of him as the jokester of the group. Somehow they'd equated that with being not quite as smart as they were; as being less mature.

"Of course it was partly my fault." He admitted. "They tried to force me to do things I didn't care to. But I accepted it without trying to defend myself. I was so afraid of having to leave, that I thought I didn't have a choice. So I just tried to cram all the hate and disgust inside until I was ready to explode. That was pretty stupid of me. I know now I got a choice, and at worse I can just up and leave." He paused. "Unless you stick me in another dimension again." He added.

_I should have sensed that something was wrong. _She berated herself. _If I hadn't been so obsessed over Robin..._ She suppressed a sigh. "None of us want you to leave." She said. "We're a team. For a while things were broken. But now we know it, and can fix it." She looked away. "I'm sorry I stuck you with Rage." She recalled the scars she'd removed from his body and guilt washed over her. A flicker of black energy leapt from her fingers, and destroyed the knob on a cabinet with a loud bang.

They both turned to look at the cabinet.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Wonder what Rage knows about Raven that even Knowledge has yet to realize. Or why she shared blood with him. For that matter, what will happen when he eats the Tamaranian stew Starfire is preparing for him.

Thanks to those who read and review.


	5. Chapter 5

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: The following day._

* * *

_**Breakfast,... Practice,... Tamaranian Stew,...**_

Beast Boy awoke, still dressed in his clothes from the previous day. Vaguely, he could recall talking to Raven, and then nothing. It seemed his lack of sleep must have caught up with him. Looking around he noted he was still in the clinic. Fluffing his pillow, he settled back. It was still early; four a.m. from the clock on the wall. Idly he wondered whose turn it was to cook breakfast, and decided he didn't care. A thunderous rumble startled him, and he sat up, looking around. It was a second before he realized the sound had come from his stomach. It seemed two days without food was more than enough, and it was threatening to rebel. _Did emoticlones eat? _He wondered, sitting up.

Entering the kitchen he search through the fridge. Apparently Raven had told him the truth about Cyborg stocking it with enough tofus eggs and bacon to last a month. Staring at stack upon stack of plastic and paper cartons, he figured two months was probably a better guess. He carefully checked the labels before opening a box of each. Soon he had a small pile of bacon and eggs, the tofu kind, ready to eat. He grabbed a cup of tofu milk, and a banana, before he sat down to the table. After cooking the same meal so often, it was done to perfection. The sound of footsteps made him look up.

"Morning." Raven said.

"Morning." He replied, noncommittedly. It'd been a while since she'd greeted him in the morning without some comment or other. If he was cooking it was always a complaint. If he wasn't, then it was always something about how glad she was that it wasn't his turn to cook. For someone who supposedly didn't express her emotions, she'd done an awful lot of complaining lately.

Sensing the hostility, she wondered if she should leave. Suppressing the frown that threaten to break her stoic expression, she went to the fridge, and sorted amongst all the tofu containers until she found a pack of whole grain muffins. She took one, and set about preparing some herbal tea. The silence was deafening. "Feeling okay?" She asked. "From the scars I know Rage beat you up pretty bad."

"I'm fine." The shape shifter replied. "And for your information, I did just as much damage to her as she did to me."

"I know. I felt it." She intoned.

"You feel what they do?" He dared to ask, curious.

"Sort of. I take one eighth the pain and damage one of them do."

"Oh." He went back to his bacon. They were a part of her, so he guess that made sense.

"There's no more breakfast rules." She told him. "There's still someone assigned to cook each morning, but there's no set menu."

"I'll skip." He said, not looking up. "I won't be eating what they cook, and given that I don't see why I should cook."

"Fair." She replied, wondering why the kettle was taking so long to boil. Usually she preferred silence at breakfast, but given the last few months and the fact she'd tossed him into an alternate dimension with Rage, she wanted to make sure they were still okay. That they hadn't become unfriends, as Starfire had called it. She resisted the urge to tap her foot nervously.

He frowned, taking a bite of tofu eggs. He recalled what he'd told Rage; that seeing Raven make such a silly gesture with that poster of Robin had made him jealous. And how the emoticlone had told him that jealousy led to anger. He would have to be careful not to take it out on either Raven or Robin. Given the last few months, that would be hard to do. He sighed.

Seeing the frown and sigh, she wished she'd just left him be. She could've come back later to grab a snack. It was Cyborg's turn to cook, and while she wasn't opposed to meat there was such a thing as too much. _Given I'm half demon, and needs twice the meat a normal person does, that's saying something. _She mused to herself. "The tofu bacon wasn't too bad." She said, trying to start up a conversation.

"Hrmph. Given that was two months ago, sixty days at least, and you've made two or three comments about it every day since then..." He shrugged.

She gulped. _That many? _She thought to herself, horrified. "Sorry." She said, nearly in a whisper, realizing that was just one of the things she'd hassled him about lately. _Why did he even bother to stick around? _She wondered.

He shrugged, taking a sip of milk. She and Robin would make a good couple, he decided; she's serious, and he's often obsessed _But where would that leave Starfire? _He wondered. "I understand why you acted that way." He told her. "But it's too much. Some sarcasm I expect from you; you're usually funny. But the biting comments I'm not taking anymore."

"No more." She promised. _How would he know why? _She wondered. _Even I'm not sure about that yet._

"Want to help me with something?" He asked, finishing off the last of his breakfast, and placing the dishes in the sink. Running the water, he started to wash them.

"Sure." Eagerness slipped through her control and into her voice. "When?"

"Before practice starts, so plenty of time to eat." He dried the frying pan and placed it back over the stove. "Just something I want to try. Pretty sure it's safe, but if I'm wrong ..." He shrugged.

"Oh." She nibbled on her muffin, wondering what it was.

Ten minutes later they were in the basement of the tower where there were three holding cells. The team usually turned villains over to the authorities as soon as they were caught, but circumstance sometimes prevented that.

"Lock the door." He instructed, stepping into one of the cells. The three walls, along with the floor and ceiling, were made of two-foot thick titanium. The door was a force field. Technically, when activated, not even a microbe could escape.

"Why?" She intoned, following instructions.

"I want to see if this shape is safe to use." He transformed into the beast. It came easy and was totally under his control. It was as expected. He changed back. "Okay. Safe to open the door." He said, pleased with the result.

The violet-haired girl did so. "You can use that form now?" She asked, curious.

"Yeah. When I choose to transform into it, it's just another animal." He shrugged. "I'm guessing before it was just a mutation from the chemicals, and actually had nothing to do with my ability to change into animals. It did, after all, also happen to Adonis and he can't change shape. But I did learn the form while I was mutated. It's just another animal I can change into now."

"Good." She gave the briefest of smiles. "It's pretty strong."

He nodded. "By the way, what happened to the stew Starfire was going to make for me?"

"You fell asleep before it was ready, so we had her store it somewhere safe. Why did you want it?" She was curious. No sane person would ask Starfire to cook Tamaranian food for them. No human that is. Tamaranians, being very strong, could handle it, but a human was more likely to get eaten by it than they were to eat it.

"Just an experiment. Trying to boost my effectiveness for the team and all." Despite his efforts, his voice held resentment.

"You're useful now." She said impassively. "You can do things we can't, and those skills are a great benefit. We appreciate them."

"Hrm. Sure." He said sarcastically. "Should I repeat some of the conversations I've heard."

"No." She frowned slightly. They often forgot just how sharp his hearing was. Not that they should've been talking about him behind his back in the first place. At least not like that. It was pretty stupid to gossip about someone whose hearing was four time more sensitive than normal. Within a building, even one like the tower, you never knew when they could hear you.

He sighed, knowing he'd let his anger show. "Thanks for helping." He said, making sure his voice was calm. _I almost feel like Raven. _He mused to himself. _Trying to be impassive when I'm not._

"No problem." The violet-haired girl replied apathetically, glad for the change of subject. She followed him back up to the kitchen.

"Hey B. Hey Raven." Cyborg greeted them. "My turn to cook, how many tofu eggs and how much tofu bacon you want?" He asked Beast Boy.

"Already ate." The shape shifter replied apathetically, wondering if like Raven he should start meditating.

"Oh. Okay." The cybernetic teen continued to fry several regular eggs in a frying pan. "Game later?" He asked.

Beast Boy shrugged. "I'll probably be busy."

"Oh."

"There's no rule against game playing anymore." Raven told him.

"I wouldn't follow it anymore even if there was." Beast Boy replied, wondering where Starfire might have put the stew. Truth be told, he was terrified to be even in the same room as the orange-skinned alien's cooking. But if it helped him gain a bit more power, then he would take the risk. Deciding it was either wake the girl up, or wait until after practice, he headed to the roof.

* * *

Sitting on top of the tower, the shape shifter peered out over the ocean, and wondered why the violet-haired girl had followed him. It was a confusing situation. If he was jealous, then that meant he liked her. Right? But why would he like someone who'd been so brutal to him over the last few months? He sighed.

"Want me to leave?" Raven asked, hearing the sigh. She'd been sitting, silently meditating with her eyes closed. She wasn't sure why she'd followed him. Perhaps it was still just an attempt to make sure they weren't unfriends.

"No." He told her truthfully, watching Robin enter the obstacle course below. As team leader the boy wonder was obsessed over safety, and usually checked the course to make sure it was okay. _So long as he isn't obsessing over my eating habits. _Beast Boy mused to himself. _And sometimes it pays to be a little bit obsessive. _He admitted. It had paid off a few times when they were fighting villains. Raven, he noticed, was peering down at the black-haired boy. He detected a slight change in her breathing, and felt anger. _Jealousy. _He realized.

She watched Robin go through the course below, checking each piece of equipment, not realizing a small smile had appeared on her lips. Or the scowl on the face of the boy next to her. "Time for practice." She said, not quite apathetically, as she walked over the edge of the roof, and slowly floated down to the ground.

"Yeah." He muttered to himself, watching her. Taking on the form of an eagle, he followed.

* * *

"Glorious morning, friend Beast Boy." Starfire greeted him, obviously glad to see him well after the previous day's events.

"Morning Starfire." He gave her a small smile.

"Is something wrong?" She asked, looking at him. It seemed she'd noticed his smile was faked.

"What could possibly be wrong?" He asked sarcastically, in a very Raven like tone. Seeing her frown, he berated himself. Taking his frustration out on the jubilant girl wasn't the right thing to do. "Everything's okay." He told her, shrugging. "Just not looking forward to practice."

"Oh." She mused. "Is it not fun to play games with our friends?"

He shrugged. "I'm the only one who hasn't stepped up yet. I always lose. And then I always get a lecture over it. Stop being lazy and such. It isn't fun for me."

"Oh." She said again, a small frown on her lips.

"The losing I can handle." He added. "After all, someone has to be the weak link. But the lectures are just too much."

"There won't be any lecture today." She promised, smiling as if everything was fixed.

"The equipment on the course needs some work." Their leader spoke up. "So we'll be skipping that today, and will just pair off and fight. Beast Boy versus Cyborg, and Starfire versus Raven. The two winners will get to pound me into the ground." He smiled at them. "Okay, start."

Standing around thirty feet from his opponent, Beast Boy watched him activate the Maximum-7 chip that would boost his reflexes considerably. Before, he and his cybernetic friend had been pretty evenly matched. However the chip made him nearly unbeatable, usually leaving only one way for the fight to end. It wasn't that he couldn't win against the cannon; it was just that any method of doing so risked severe injury, or even death. Sound waves were pretty deadly to something like an amoeba, so even hiding and trying to sneak into attack range wasn't a good idea. It would probably work _most _of the time, but random firing of the weapon would have a random chance of hitting him; being hit would leave him dead, and he _really_ preferred to be alive. For some reason the thought cheered him up. Being alive was good, even if he lost the match and the rest of his life sucked.

"Okay B. Lets start." Cyborg said, leaving out the playful banter that had once accompanied such matches.

"Okay." The shape shifter shifted into a cheetah and charged. Even for the fastest land animal on earth, it took time to accelerate and cross the thirty feet. As his powerful legs thrust him forward, spending more time in the air than on the ground, he knew something was off. He closed within the five feet of his opponent and turned aside, reverting back to his human form.

"Pretty good." Cyborg said. "You must be improving; I wasn't able to keep track of you."

Beast Boy frowned. "Actually you had me targeted when I was still ten feet away from you. Why didn't you fire?" He shifted into a bear, and rested on the ground.

"Trust me. If I had, I would've." There was a nervous twitch in the cyborg's one good eye.

Switching back to his human form, the shape shifter closed his eyes and sighed. "You know. It's pretty stupid to try and lie to a bear. I mean, it really takes stupid to a whole new level."

"Huh?" Was the cybernetic teen's confused response.

"They can smell a lie a mile away. They're even better than bloodhounds at that." Beast Boy's tone hinted of irritation. It was bad enough to be lectured for losing when he tried his best, but now the hyper competitive fellow Titan was throwing a match? It made him angry. It wasn't the losing that bothered him, it was the unproductive lectures that did nothing but tear him down. And throwing a match was the same as treating him like a kid.

"Oh."

"Try throwing a match again, and I will crawl inside your brain as an amoeba and rewire things to make you allergic to meat." He threatened.

"You can do that?" The now terrified meat lover asked, taking a step back.

"Probably not." The shape shifter admitted. "But trying would probably wreck everything in there."

The cybernetic teen gulped. "We just thought ..." He shrugged.

"It's not the losing I mind. It's the lectures afterwards." Beast Boy said. "They're stupid. Now start over." He calmed down, knowing they'd only done it to try and help him. What their line of reasoning was he had no idea. But there'd been no ill intent. He turned into a cheetah and loped a short distance away. Turning,.he charged only to be hit by his foe's sonic cannon

"No other form better for dodging?" The winner asked, not bothering to gloat.

"No."

"What about a greyhound?"

"No." This was better. Rather than just calling him lazy and telling him to step up, they were thinking and trying to help. "A cheetah is the fastest animal on the land, and one of the most agile. If it can't get close to you, then nothing can." He explained, his voice lacking any hint of his earlier anger.

"Oh." Cyborg responded. "Guess I don't know much about animals."

"If you have any more suggestion, I would appreciate it." Beast Boy replied, conversationally.

"I'll think on it." His friend promised.

An alarm interrupted the rest of the practice, saving Robin from being pounded into the ground by the combined forces of Raven and Cyborg. _If only it had went of five minute earlier, it would have also saved me the humiliation of another loss._ He mused without any resentment.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later they were just outside the prison facility where several major villains, including Cinderblock, were usually locked away. The massive concrete villain had broken free of his restrains, and tore a hole in the prison wall. The none too smart criminal had started to make a run for it, but had paused to rob a few banks along the way. The trail he'd left made finding him easy.

Beast Boy sat on a nearby wall, and watched the other four at work. Raven kept the villain down. It was simply a matter of creating a tiny barrier under one of his feet each time he tried to stand, tripping him. It was the sort of technique she'd worked hard on lately, and it showed in her skill. While she was at work, Cinderblock wasn't going anywhere. Starfire had taken to the air and was raining starbolts down on the prone giant. Cyborg was firing his cannon time and time again. Robin was tossing explosive discs at the concrete form. As superhumanly tough as the block of stone might be, the barrage of firepower would soon wear him down.

The shape shifter frowned. All the others had their role to play. He, on the other hand, had nothing to do. He couldn't attack from a range, and Raven was more than able to keep the villain pinned. He could only watch, and feel like an outcast. There was nothing worse than feeling useless. Sighing, he watched as the concrete form gave up the struggle and remained still.

Raven sensing the melancholy mood, looked worriedly at her friend. _Of course he's depressed, he's spent the last two to three months being condemned time and time again by his friends. So would I in his shoes. _She admitted to herself._ It must be an awful lot like being betrayed. And I even cast him in the prison I created for Rage._ She recalled the scars that had been on his body, and wondered how he was even alive. From the ones she'd removed from his arm she was pretty sure it'd been severed. And those on his chest suggested massive damage to at least one lung. Guilt flooded her, forcing her to silently meditate.

* * *

Having returned the villain to the prison, they headed back to the tower. Robin cancelled the rest of the practice, claiming bringing down the concrete criminal had served in its place.

"Friend Beast Boy." Starfire approached, beaming a smile at him. "I'm afraid the stew might have gone bad. Should we check on it?"

"Sure." The shape shifter wondered if having it go bad might have actually improved his odds of surviving.

Starfire led the way out of the tower, and down to the shoreline.

"Why're we going down to the water?" Beast Boy asked.

"Friend Raven refused to let me keep it in the tower, so I stored it outside."

"Ah." He looked up at the sun that was beating down. But somehow he though food poisoning from earthly bacteria would be the least of his problems.

"Oh my. It's gone bad." Starfire moaned, looking at a small pond of seawater left behind by the tide.

"Where is it?" He asked, looking around. He gulped, as a giant octopus rose out of the pond and stared at him; it looked hungry. He took a step back, studying it. It had six arms instead of eight, and each was covered in a set of rings composed of bone. It had three eyes, and the beak of an octopus was replaced with a mouth full of small, sharp looking, teeth. It looked big enough to swallow him whole. _I really wish I would hit a growth spurt soon. _He mused nervously. _Maybe then some of those monsters we fight wouldn't look so scary._

"I'm afraid it must have got out of the pot and found something to eat." The orange-skinned alien said, frowning, but not appearing frightened.

"Hrm. Starfire. Just what is that thing?" The shape shifter, a few shades paler than his normal green, took another step back. The thing followed him.

"It's a Torkop." The orange-skinned alien replied. "They make excellent eating." She looked at the creature. "Oh well. On the bright side, there's now enough for a dozen pots of stew, and I can make a few dishes for friend Robin too." Being optimistic, she was looking at the bright side of things.

Beast Boy took another step back, wondering if he would even be alive come nightfall. The creature followed him with a hungry gleam in its eyes. The shape shifter gulped. "Starfire. Just what is a Torkop?"

"It's an ocean going creature, though it can survive being on land." She explained. "It's quite tough to capture. After the Gordanian warfleet devastated Tamaran it evolved the ability to store acid in each of its arms. It uses it to dissolve rock which it then drinks to get trace minerals that are now rare on my home world. It can eat through titanium."

"The acid or the teeth?" He wondered out loud, taking another step back. Once again the creature matched his move, not taking its eyes from him.

"Both." She cheerfully replied.

"Oh." He replied, not sounding half so cheerful. "How do we kill it?"

"You don't. Even a severed arm can grow back into a full Torkop. That's what happened to the stew." She explained.

"Well, aside from it making us lunch, if it's allowed to run free it will destroy earth's ecosystem." The shape shifter pointed out, once more taking a step backwards. The creature matched it.

"No worries." Came the peppy response. "If can only reproduce if something hurts it, and tears off an arm or two which grow into new Torkops. No earth animal can do that. So earth is safe."

"Whoopee." He replied, trying to sound grateful.

"I'm sorry the stew turned bad." She said, sounding tearful.

"Oh. No worries." The shape shifter replied. "It was just a passing fancy. Next time I'm hungry I will just ask for good, old fashion, pancakes." His back brought up against something. The Torkop actually grinned when it saw that. He wondered what Rage had meant when she'd said Tamaranian stew. "Oh well, don't suppose I should let good food go to waste." He said fatalistically, turning into a T-rex.

He charged the creature, sidestepping a burst of acid that came from one arm. It sort of deflated, and he hoped it would take time for it to refill. His teeth clamped clamped on another arm, and he bit down. Nothing. His teeth grinded against the bone rings around the limb, and even the bite of the mightiest jaws of any land predator existing on earth was useless against this prey. He drew back, and some acid splattered him. It burned through his flesh with ease, and his back became a mass of pain.

More acid splattered him, as he tried to dodge it. He had an idea, and changed into a blue whale. His own weight would crush him on land, but he could last a few seconds. The Torkop, seeing the massive creature, aimed all six arms and let loose with the acid. The shape shifter used his massive form to absorb the damage, and switched back to a T-rex. He still had serious wounds from the burning liquid, but the whale had been too large to be critically hurt by it. He bit into another arm; once again without success.

Backing off he wondered how to get through the bone armor of the creature. He noticed Starfire throwing starbolts and briefly switched to his human form. "Back off." He ordered. "I want to handle this." The arms of the creature, he noted, were starting to fill with more acid. There was only two places that weren't covered with some sort of armor; the teeth and the eyes. If he wanted to attack the creature, it would have to be in one of those two spots. He turned into a humming bird and flew in close. The arms were strong, but not quite fast enough to catch the bird. He switched to a spitting cobra, and spat venom at the eyes; nothing. Still evading the arms, he retreated a short distance and returned to his T-rex form to think.

As a great ape he charged into battle once more. This time he grabbed an arm and tried to pull on it, hoping it could be tore off. He was lifted and slammed down on the ground. He groaned, and switched into a cheetah, leaping back out of the way before he could be tore apart by the incredibly strong tentacles.

"It uses the minerals from it dissolves from rocks to reinforce its bones with titanium." Starfire said, cheerfully watching the fight some distance away. "There's also fibers of the metal in its skin and tendons. They're very strong."

_Great. _He thought to himself. He wasn't going to get through that bone armor, and he wasn't going to out-muscle it. That still left the two weak spots of its eyes and its mouth. _But how to make use of that? _He wondered. _Too bad the creature was alien or ... Wait, he'd turned into an alien animal once. But he would need its DNA and that would be hard to get._ He grinned, that was what Rage had meant. There were more than just earth animals to use. And those of Tamaran were very very strong. Any that weren't had died off when the Gordanian warfleet had nearly destroyed their world. And those that had survived had only gotten stronger as they'd adapted to the nearly dead planet.

He looked at the mouth, and wondered just how far down the teeth went. Gulping, he switched into a humming bird and flew straight into the mouth of the beast. Inside, just beyond the teeth, he switched into an amoeba. He ate at the skin lining the mouth, and sampled its DNA. It was strange, but it shared many properties with earth's. One would think they'd had a similar origin, and had just branched off at some point in the past. _Interesting idea. _He mused, considering how Robin and Starfire were similar enough to actually be interested in each other. He pushed the thought to one side, and returned his attention to the situation. He had a sample of the creature's DNA, and could probably turn into one. But his form would be smaller than that of the alien's, and probably wouldn't help him win the fight. If an amoeba could grin, he would've. Acid that could eat through titanium would be useful; not to mention how strong the creature was. And to top it all off, it had that incredibly strong bone armor. He was very pleased.

_If the creatures of earth and Tamaran are that similar then perhaps it's vulnerable to venom. _He mused, and shifted into an Inland Taipan snake. Feeling the creature trying to swallow him, he frantically tried to keep slithering upward. Taking the time to sink his fangs into the unprotected flesh of the throat over a dozen times, he ejected as much toxin as he could with each bite. If the creature was at all vulnerable to it, it would be deadly; he'd pumped enough venom into the Torkop to kill over a thousand fully grown men. Fangs aching from piercing the tough skin, he wondered what to do next.

Judging the size of the space he was in, he turned into a porcupine, embedding hundred of quills into his prey's throat and mouth. They didn't penetrate very far, but they did start to draw blood. From the fact the bleeding didn't stop, he thought the venom might be working. He could feel the Torkop shivering. _Definitely vulnerable to the toxin_. He mused, trying to grin. Turning back to the form of an Inland Taipan snake again, he tried to bite it some more; broken fangs and lack of venom prevented him from doing more damage.

Swallowing his panic, he peered up through the mouth. Given the jaws were opening and closing, he decided to wait a bit before leaving, least he get chewed to pieces. Thinking some more he turned into a sand cat. It was the only cat form, other than a common house cat, that was small enough for this space. Soon he'd made a few slashes in the creature's throat. His claws took massive damage doing so though; the skin of the Torkop was _really_ tough. The bleeding from the slashes he'd made didn't slow, and he figured the venom was still at work. At least, given it was his only chance, he hoped it was. He hung on for dear life, trying not to fall down into its stomach.

After a few minutes he felt the creature shuddered and go still. The bleeding from the slashes he'd made slowed and stopped. Taking a chance, he changed back into a humming bird, and flew out of the belly of the beast.

"Friend Beast Boy." Starfire greeted him, sounding worried.

"Hey Starfire. That's one tough octopus." He sat back on the ground to watch it from a safe distance. Then he collapsed.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Beast Boy admits he likes Raven. How to get Raven to start looking at Beast Boy. That might take some time to develop.

Thanks to those who read and review.


	6. Chapter 6

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to comments:_

_Yeah, the Rage I'm trying to portray isn't a red-eyed demon out to destroy the world. I'm thinking the emoticlones are parts of Raven, and so aren't killers. They would be bound by her morals; Rage, outside of Trigon's influence, wouldn't be a monster. Just like Timid isn't always cowering in her maze, Brave doesn't jump off a cliff to show how courageous she is, Rude doesn't go around assaulting people just to be rude,... They might be Raven's emotions, but they aren't taken to such unrealistic extremes. While I've only watched the cartoons, on the Wiki for Teen Titans it shows that Rage hates Trigon. People don't generally want to be like the people they hate, rather they try not to be like them._

_Cyborg's sonic cannon is a weapon. I doubt any insect could survive if it were fired at full power; it's designed to take down supervillains. Still, I'm sure Beast Boy will find some way to best that cannon. In the cartoons I can't recall seeing him turn into an insect, though in 'Beast Boy and Raven' I did have him often using the form of a gnat. Whether the writers of the show deliberately excluded the possibility, or just didn't bother showing him in such forms, I don't know. Insects are very versatile creatures. It would certainly add to his abilities._

_I'm sure he'll be learning more animal forms, including alien ones. There will be drawbacks to the alien octopus form, as we will see. Can't just make him invulnerable. And I don't want him to just give up using earth animals. That just wouldn't be right._

_Time: The next day._

* * *

**_The Morning,... Adonis,... Nevermore,... Rage,..._**

Raven, waking a bit earlier than usual, finished her meditations and headed down to get breakfast. When Cyborg cooked, which he would for the rest of week, she'd decided she would grab something quick from the kitchen. Too her surprise she found Beast Boy already up, and nearly finished his morning meal. It seemed he'd had cereal this morning.

"Morning." She intoned, glad to see him.

"Morning." He replied, not looking up.

A slight frown crossed her lips. "How're you feeling?" She asked. Starfire had rushed him into the clinic the day before, yelling something about him a Torkop. It seemed the stew she'd prepared had grown a bit, and nearly ate the shape shifter. Over two-thirds his body had been covered, to some degree, with acid burns. His teeth had been nearly shattered, and his fingernails had been torn out. Despite that, he'd smiled the whole time she'd worked to heal him.

"Good." He replied, briefly looking up to give her a small smile. "Thanks for fixing those burns for me. Talk about pain. I've never felt anything quite like it."

"Guess you'll be joining the rest of us in avoiding Tamaranian food." She intoned, just to make conversation.

"Actually, I got what I wanted." The shape shifter's smile broaden. "Rage really gave me some really useful advice there." He'd given the new form a short three second spin earlier. It required a bit more effort than an earth animal, but he could change into it.

"Rage?"

Beast Boy nodded. "Girl is smart as well as cute." He said, knowing it would get a rise out of her.

"She's not cute. She's the very embodiment of evil within me." The violet-haired girl intoned, sounding serious.

"If she's the evilest part of you, then you've got nothing to worry about. Miss goody-two-shoes." He taunted with a smile.

"Hrmph." She replied, suppressing a smile of her own. It felt good for him to treat her as he normally did. She pulled a whole grain muffin out of the fridge and set about boiling the kettle. "What advice did she give you?" She asked curious, as well as a bit worried.

Just two words, "Tamaranian stew." He shrugged. "If I ever see her again she's going to be angry it took me so long to figure it out. It was so obvious."

"Oh." Raven replied, spreading some cream on her muffin. It was strange that he spoke of her evil emoticlone so fondly given all the scars he'd ended up with while there. Guilt pushed its way through her control, and she swallowed.

"For something like that to evolve, I wonder what Tamaran used to be like." He pondered out loud.

"Not a place I would've wanted to visit." She stated impassively. "Every animal super strong, and deadly."

"I would've though." He mused thoughtfully. "It would've been fascinating."

The violet-haired girl nibbled on her muffin, admitting to herself she liked his company at breakfast; perhaps even his company just in general. It had just taken the danger of losing it to make her realize it. Recalling what he'd seen her do, she blushed. "Can you use that form now?" She asked, pushing the memory from her mind.

"Yeah." He smiled.

"Is it really that powerful?" She'd only seen it dead, and it hadn't looked like much. But then, few things did in that state.

"It is, though I will need to experiment more before I know just how useful it is. Unlike earth animals I can't just read up on it." Beast Boy shrugged. "Maybe Starfire will be able to tell me more." Placing his empty bowl in the sink, he set about washing it.

"Think it'll help you beat Cyborg's sonic cannon?" She asked apathetically.

"Don't think so. I'll need to test it, and see how well that bone armor it has stands up to sound. It's strong, but that cannon can bring down a wall. As for the acid, it's too dangerous to use in a sparring match. It would damage even the titanium covering his cybernetic parts, and unlike the cannon it can't be toned down. It's either I use it and dissolve a part of him, or I don't."

"Oh." It seemed he'd given it some thought.

"I can't even determine just how well it can tolerate sound without his help." The boy mused sadly. "And I don't feel like asking for it."

"He would be more than happy to help." Raven insisted.

The shape shifter shrugged. "Maybe." He placed the bowl back in the cupboards. "I'm heading up to the roof." He told her. "Got a few things I want to do before practice."

She watched him leave, and nibbled on her muffin. When she finished dark energy wrapped around her, and she vanished up through the floors to join him. Not speaking, she sat in a lotus position, and started to meditate. She was tempted to recite her mantra, but decided not to break the silence. Most of her efforts were put into pushing the images of his scars, after being with Rage, to one side. She really hated that red-clad emoticlone, and that required more meditation.

After a while something disturbed her, and she opened her eyes. Beast Boy was rolling around in the form of a cheetah, acting like he was in pain. "You okay?" she asked without feeling.

The shape shifter reverted to his human shape. "Yeah. Just working on something."

"Oh?" She inquired, curious. He had the laptop that was usually kept in the commons room for general use with him, and she'd assumed he'd just taken it to play games. But on the screen she could see what looked to like a human skeleton going through the motions of throwing a baseball. Beside it, in another window, there was a picture of a cheetah skeleton. Or what she assumed to be a cheetah skeleton anyway.

He reverted back to the form a cheetah, stretched, and then returned to being human before he sat down. "I have no long range attacks." He explained. "Robin got explosive discs, Starfire can throw starbolts, Cyborg has his sonic cannon, and you got telekinesis."

"And?" She prompted, wondering how that involved the strange contortions he'd been putting himself through.

"A baseball player can throw a ball at around a hundred miles per hour." He shrugged. "It might not be as good as what the rest of you got, but it would work at a distance." He looked down at the roof, realizing just how stupid it sounded. Sighing, he continued. "A lot of animals got better reflexes than a human, even if they don't have hands. I was trying to see if a cheetah could flip a stone hard enough to do damage."

"Try throwing something as a giant ape?" She suggested. "You've done that before."

The shape shifter shook his head. "When a human throws a ball, they put their whole body in it. An ape can't do that. I can make up for it by throwing heavier stuff, but only at a short distance. A cheetah, while it can't hold anything, has really good reflexes. And its spine is more flexible than most other animals. It can bend and twist, so I can put my entire body into flipping something."

"How's it going?"

"I'll know when I actually try it. Right now I'm just seeing what's the best way to try and throw something. Or rather flip it off the ground." He looked out across the blue ocean. "How's the meditating going?" He asked. "For someone who's acting so calm, you're putting out a lot of pheromones and stuff."

"I am?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know more; bad enough he could hear so well.

Beast Boy nodded. "A slight trace of adrenaline. Not enough for fear, so I would say angry."

"A little." She admitted.

"At me?" He asked.

"No." She intoned. "So you can sense emotions like that all the time?"

"Just when I in a form that has a good sense of smell. Right now my sense of smell is little better than human, so I get nothing."

"Oh." _That's a relief. _She thought.

He studied the violet-haired girl. _If I was more like Aqualad or Robin,... _He pushed the thought aside. He wasn't, and never would be. He was short and green, with fangs.

"Yesterday you said you can sense a lie?" She asked, looking back at him.

He nodded. "If the form has good enough senses, I usually can. It's not a hundred percent foolproof. Some people are natural born liars. There's nothing to give them away."

"Become a bear." She instructed.

He did so, curious.

"I'm sorry for being so mean to you over the last few months." She stated clearly, abandoning her facade of emotionlessness. "We do appreciate you, and would miss you if you left. We acted without thinking."

He returned to his human form, stunned the impassive girl would state something so clearing without trying to hide the way she felt. He was even more stunned when she gave him a small hug. "Okay." He replied, trying to keep her closeness from getting to him. It was making him a bit giddy.

She sat back, puzzling over what her own empathic senses had told her during the brief hug. He'd fully accepted her apology, but there'd been a sense of something like ... ecstasy. Why? Shock ran through her. _He likes me. _She realized._ As in like like, not just like as a friend._

"Time for practice." He stated, not looking at her. "I'm going to return the laptop first."

"Okay." She intoned automatically, watching him leave. _I've hugged him a few time before._ She recalled, thinking. _Was it like that the other times?_ She decided it had been, though not quite that strong. Since she usually tried to block her empathic senses when touching people, it was hard to tell. His outward appearances hadn't even given her a hint about it. Sitting back, she gave the situation some thought. After a while she decided it didn't matter. She wasn't interested in him, at least not in that way. Better to just let it go. But it did make her feel good; someone did like her despite her violet hair and eyes, and her weird skin color. And if he could then maybe Robin could. _And where would that leave Starfire? _She asked herself. It was obvious she was head over heels over Robin; not to mention he seemed to like her back. She frowned, thinking.

"Friend Raven. It is time to practice." Spoke the orange-skin woman, who'd just landed on the roof.

Raven jumped, startled. She'd been so deep in thought that she'd lost track of the time. "Okay." She replied in a monotone, feeling guilty. It wasn't as if she was trying to steal her boyfriend, she just liked him. Still, there was a tinge of guilt.

"Hey B." Cyborg greet, Beast Boy.

"Cy." Came the response.

"Okay team." Robin spoke, commanding attention. "Today we'll be ..." An alarm interrupted him. "Skipping practice it seems." He added, running for the tower's control room.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later they were facing Adonis in one of the city's many banks.

"Hey weaklings." He greeted them. "Come to adore the great Adonis?"

"Not really." Cyborg replied, pressing several buttons that controlled his Maximum-7 chip. He rushed forward, only to have his fist grabbed by the supervillain. He ended up flying through the air. Rising, he aimed his sonic cannon, and fired. To everyone's astonishment, it had no affect.

"New upgrade." The ego-crazed criminal smirked. "Absorbs vibrations." He marched forward, lifted the cybernetic Titan, and tossed him through a wall. He then flexed his suit muscles. "The rest of you better give up." He said in a mocking tone. "Or you'll get hurt along with that obsolete pile of nuts and bolts."

Robin tossed several explosive discs that had no affect. A multi-ton banking machine slammed into Starfire, while the door from the bank vault nearly flatten Raven. They hadn't been the only ones upgrading their skills and equipment. The battle suit Adonis wore had increased in size and complexity. It now towered over twelve feet high, and was protected all around by six inches of pure titanium.

"Hey." The villain said, looking at Beast Boy. "Turn into a dog and beg. Maybe I'll let you leave in one piece."

"Not interested." The shape shifter replied. The last several times they'd faced Adonis, the villain had beaten him badly. The battle suit had been more than a match for any animal he'd tried; half a foot of titanium was too much even for his T-rex form to get through.

"Guess you need to be taught a lesson, little doggy." The speech was interrupted as Starfire tried to rain starbolts on him. Obviously annoyed, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. A second later she was sent flying through a wall. A furious looking Robin came in for another attack, and got kicked out through the front door. The supercharged villain went to take a swing at Raven. Three tentacles wrapped around his arm stopped him.

"Doggy's learned a few new tricks." The mechanically enhanced villain smiled, looking back. He merely smirked as Raven lifted the bank vault door, and slammed it down on his head, driving him two feet into the ground. His battle suit was built to take punishment.

In the form of a Torkop, Beast Boy watched as the three tentacles he'd wrapped around his foe's arm were unpeeled by the super strength of the massive suit. Strong as the appendages were, the armor of the battle suit was pure titanium, and even alien flesh wasn't a match. Still he had six arms, and his opponent only had two; one tentacle was removed by force, only to be replaced by another.

"Get off me, you flea infested mutt." The villain in the red battle suit demanded.

The shape shifter wrapped three of his appendages around the right arm of the loudmouth criminal, and squirted some acid on it. There was a hissing sound as it ate through the metal. Soon the three tentacles tore the super-strong armor off of his struggling foe's arm. That done, he latched onto the left arm. Bit by bit, Adonis was peeled from his armor. As pieces of it dropped around him Beast Boy realized just why the villain needed to rob so many banks. Buying the titanium for such a large suit must cost a fortune; maybe even several fortunes. The gigantic suit required at least half a dozen tons of the expensive metal.

When he ran out of acid, Raven was more than willing to step in and continue the process. He returned to his human formed, and watched as the annoyed violet-haired girl finished derobing the mad villain of his no longer functional red battle suit. Unlike the last few times facing Adonis, this time he'd been useful, and it made him feel pretty good. Idly he calculated the raw material cost of the suit to be around sixty million dollars. Definitely the reason the supervillain hit so many banks. Sitting calmly, he watched as the violet-haired girl wrapped the villain up in restraints of dark energy. Her confident was appealing. He swallowed, and looked away.

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The half demon intoned, seeking the tranquility that refused to come. At the back of her mind there was the unnerving premonition of something evil approaching. It made her shudder at times, and she couldn't resist looking behind her. Given her demonic heritage, such feelings weren't to be taken lightly. Picking up a small mirror, she looked into it.

She found several of her emoticlones gathered together in the forest that was Happy's domain. Given the pleasant setting she could see why they preferred the place. Looking, she noted with relief, that Rude wasn't one of the ones present. On the other hand the purple-clad emoticlone called Love was. She would have preferred Rude.

"Good evening." Knowledge said politely, looking up.

"Any idea what I'm sensing?" She asked.

The yellow-clad emoticlone took off her spectacles and polished them, obviously deep in thought. "That's what we were just talking about." She finally said. "There's three schools of thought. One is that Rage is up to something. Brave thinks this might be the case, and wants to form a team to beat her up. Love agrees with her, except for the part about beating her up. Then there's the theory that your obsession over the Obsessor is going to end bad. Timid and Happy agree on that one."

"And the third school of thought?" Raven inquired, wondering if it could be called a school of though when only one or two fragments of a person's mind held the view.

"I agree that it might be Rage, or something about to go wrong between you and the rest of the Titans. Such as maybe a misunderstanding over the Obsessor. Or even something to do with BB that causes you guilt and releases Rage. The two might not be separate." The yellow-clad emoticlone paused.

"And?" Raven prompted.

"To me the sense of foreboding seems too malicious. I think a third probability is Trigon at work again."

The violet-haired girl paled. "He was defeated." She simply stated.

"Which isn't the same as dead, or gone forever." Knowledge pointed out. "It's only a possibility."

"She's making a mistake in her love life." Happy interrupted. "And that's going to end badly. Unfortunately Love is too stupid to see it." The normally cheerful emoticlone glared at the purple-clad one.

"I admit there are two possible outcome for her love life." Came the reply. "I just don't see it having that sort of affect. Besides there's nothing wrong with her liking Robin."

"Except they aren't a good pair." Knowledge said, taking off her spectacles to clean them again.

"I disagree." Love said, not sounding quite sure. "Though I admit I could be wrong. I'm drawn both ways"

"Both ways?" Raven interrupted.

The purple-clad emoticlone looked at her and sighed. "Whether BB or Robin would be best for you. Robin is more mature, but it might be as Knowledge thinks and BB would be better in the long run."

"Beast Boy and me? That's insane." Raven took a step back.

"Hardly." Knowledge said. "His personality is a good match for yours. Plus ,with his acute sense of hearing and smell, he's able determine your mood even when you try to hide it. He would be an excellent match."

"No." She insisted.

"The Obsessor, on the other hand, wouldn't be." The yellow-clad emoticlone added, staring at Love who'd been about to interrupt. "He's too focused." She continued. "Starfire can handle that, since she's quite willing to keep herself busy with her hobbies and her friends during those times. You however would just draw within yourself with meditation and reading." She paused. "I'm all for reading, but even I know there can be too much of a good thing." She looked down at the book she always carried.

"BB and I are never going to happen. Not that way." Raven insisted.

Knowledge shrugged. "Time will tell. Love is the only one who disagrees, and even she admits there are two roads open to you. I don't think this could be the cause of your premonition however."

"Then one of the other two possibilities?" Raven asked, glad to get off the topic of her love life.

Knowledge nodded. "It's either Rage or Trigon. And while Rage has caused problems in the past, they were always triggered by Trigon. This premonition has a feeling to it that is too malicious."

"Rage is plenty bad." Brave insisted. "Lets teach her a lesson."

"We could just talk to her." Love pointed out. "Explain that she's not doing anyone any good by causing trouble."

"Hrmph. The only kind of talking she understands is that done by fists." Brave insisted, taking a couple of punches at the empty air.

"We have two possibilities." Knowledge pointed out. "We can determine which is the case by investigating Rage." She looked at Brave. "Without fighting unless she starts it."

Raven nodded. While she'd placed the seal on Rage's domain to keep her in, the emoticlone had not replaced her own seal to keep anyone out. "We can talk to her." She said. Focusing she started chanting. Soon a portal opened.

"Yay! Fight!" Brave yelled, and courageously charged through.

Raven felt a chill run through her as the dark portal wavered and vanished. As soon as Brave had entered her domain, Rage had replaced the seal. To have done it so quick implied she'd been waiting and had been prepared. "This isn't good." She said without feeling, staring at where the gateway had been.

"No." Knowledge agreed, looking thoughtful.

* * *

Rage smiled. _So Brave thinks she's going to have fun, does she? Well one of us is. _The emoticlone smiled, and prepared to fight.

"Hey. Trouble maker. I'm here to teach you a lesson." Brave yelled down from her position in the air.

"Are you? Then teach away oh courageous one." The red-clad emoticlone replied, smiling calmly..

"Hrmph. I will fix that cocky attitude of yours." The green-clad emoticlone soared down to launch an attack.

Rage, having studied her fight with Beast Boy, used her dark magic to toss dust into the air, creating a minor dust storm. She faded back several steps, and watched as Brave waded into it, determined to teach her a lesson. Standing right in front of the courageous emoticlone, just several steps back, Rage knew that Brave would think she was just in front of her. The dust would hide her sight, but her empathic senses would insist her target was there.

Standing still, smiling, she went to work. She lifted a large boulder, wrapped in her dark magic, and moved it into the dust. She could feel Brave start to hit it, thinking it was her. _This is fun. _Rage decided, sensing the other emoticlone pound the boulder with her bare fists. Eventually it broke, and she found another one for her foe to use as a punching bag. Once in a while she stirred up more dust, and dropped rocks on top of Brave. The emoticlone tried to toss some back, but they were all aimed at the fake target.

After a while even the stamina of the green-clad emoticlone faded. She kept up the fight to the last minute, but eventually collapsed to the ground.

Rage let the dust storm fade, and walked to stand above Brave. "Pathetic." She simply said to the emoticlone who stared up, seeking any sign of damage on the red-clad one. There were none. Her looked expressed disbelief. Rage turned her back on her downed foe, and walked a short distance away, letting the seal fade.

Raven entered Rage's domain cautiously. She knew one or the other of her emoticlone had been hurt, though not too badly. Basically worn to exhaustion, with a few cuts and bruises. Given Brave's stamina she figured it had to Rage who was hurt, but she was used to fighting, and knew better than to make assumptions. Knowledge, along with Love and Happy, were with her.

"Well look who decided to show up." The red-clad emoticlone said, sitting peacefully on a rock. She pointed at Brave who way lying on the ground. "Thanks for the fight, but next time send someone better. She was just pathetic. I'm ashamed to even call her a fellow emoticlone." She cocked her head. "Actually, next time just send BB. He's fun."

Raven stared at Brave and then back at Rage. _Okay, I knew better than to take chances, but just how did she beat Brave without even getting a single scratch?_ She wondered what to do. "He's never coming back in here again." She told Rage with conviction. "And since when do you call him BB?"

"He will." Came the calm response. Rage smiled at her. "And since that's what the others call him." She added. "Now if you don't mind, take the trash and leave." She pointed at Brave again, who was struggling to get up and carry on the fight.

"Why're you stirring up trouble?" Raven demanded, staring unflinchingly at the emoticlone.

"Who? Me? Stir up trouble?" The tone expressed shock.

"Yes you." Raven stated.

"I wish it was me." Rage answered solemnly. "Sorry to tell you, but what you're sensing isn't me. I don't think I need to tell you who it is."

With her face pale, Raven grabbed Brave and started to carry her back through the portal.

"Anyone get the number of that truck?" The dazed emoticlone muttered.

"Yeah. It's R. A. G. E." Raven told her. She paused, tensing for a fight, when a black barrier appeared around Knowledge, preventing her from leaving.

"Don't worry. I won't hurt her too badly." Rage smiled.

"Let her go." Raven stated.

"Nay." Came the confident response.

"In case you haven't noticed, you're outnumbered five to one."

"More like four to one." Rage replied nonchalantly, looking at Brave. She vanished from the spot where she was, and reappeared inside the barrier she'd placed around Knowledge. Leaning close, she whispered to the emoticlone. "Tell me Knowledge, having you given any consideration on what it means for Raven to be half demon?" Then she faded back to her original spot, and let the barrier around the emoticlone fade. "Get out!" She ordered.

Raven, still carrying Brave, let the others leave first, and then followed them. Turning, she banished the portal and replaced the seal on Rage's domain.

"Well?" She asked Knowledge, who looked puzzled.

"I don't think she's the one behind the premonition." The yellow-clad emoticlone said. "That leaves Trigon." She went pale as she said the words.

Raven went pale too, as did Happy and Love. Only Brave, who was sleeping, remained totally calm. Which was an unusual state for her.

"What did she whisper to you?" Raven asked, knowing she would be doing a lot of meditating once she left Nevermore.

Knowledge shrugged. "Something I'll think about. Not sure what she meant by it yet." She sat down and started cleaning her spectacles.

"You really think it's Trigon." Raven asked.

Knowledge nodded. "It wouldn't be your interest in BB or the Obsessor. That wouldn't cause the sort of malice that's in the premonition. And I do believe Rage when she says it isn't her. Other than when she's been possessed by Trigon, she hasn't caused all that much trouble."

Raven closed her eyes. "So what do we do?"

"I'll think on the it." Knowledge replied, obviously not having a clue. She looked at Brave. "When she wakes up she's going to be insufferable. Wonder how Rage beat her? She's your warrior side, and Rage should have found her pretty tough."

"Ask her when she wakes up."

"As if she's going to admit being defeated." Knowledge replied. She looked down at the sleeping emoticlone fondly. Love, Happy, and Timid had made her comfortable, with a pile of leaves for a pillow. They'd even used their own cloaks for blankets.

* * *

End of Chapter.

To sum it up: Love thinks Robin is the best choice, but admits she might be wrong and it could be Beast Boy. Knowledge, Happy, and Timid are all in favor of Beast Boy.

And Raven now knows Beast Boy likes her, but doesn't see him in that light yet. Though from the attitude of her emoticlones, some part of her must.

Thanks to those who read and review. Reviews == Motivation.


	7. Chapter 7

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replied to comments: (at least as much as I can without giving out spoilers)_

_Rage would have respect for Beast Boy given he matched her in a fight, and then beat her. Plus there's his willingness to accept her._

_Yeah, I'm sure Raven knows it would hurt Starfire. Unfortunately, emotions aren't always reasonable. I'm sure she'll get over it, and listen to Knowledge on how she and Robin aren't suited to each other. (hint: that, in an indirect way, also has something to do with the comment rage made to knowledge.)_

_He can't absorb the DNA from Starfire, she's female. And him turning into a female Tamaranian would be just weird. Interesting, but weird. Though then Starfire would have someone to talk fashion over with. There will be more animal forms, including one in this chapter._

_The beast might be incredibly strong, but it would have the same weakness as the cheetah does in a sparring match. It would be hit by Cyborg's sonic cannon before it got close enough to fight. Remember, Cyborg's reflexes are boosted by the Max-7 chip, so he's a bit faster than in the cartoon. And even there he had a good shot at Beast Boy, which he refused to take. Beating Cyborg will take some thinking on Beast Boy's part._

_Time: The next day._

* * *

_**Morning Talk,... New Forms and a Fight Amongst Friends,... Evening Talk,...**_

Raven opened her eyes, frowning intensely. Despite staying up half the night trying to meditate, sleep had not been peaceful. She would drift of, only to wake up ten minutes later with images of Trigon in her mind. The process had repeated seemingly forever, though she knew it had been a _mere _four hours. She didn't try to suppress the yawn that overtook her. Slumping back down in her bed, she wondered if there was any use at further attempts to sleep. Deciding there wasn't, she stumbled out of bed, and crashed to the floor, before managing to make her way to washroom to take a shower.

"Morning." She intoned, speaking to Beast Boy. _He's become an early riser. _She vaguely noted, before aiming her body at a chair which she barely managed to reach. Instead of falling asleep on the floor, her head hit the table.

"Morning." The shape shifter replied to the sleeping girl. _Wow, that's different. _He noted, unable to ever recall seeing her like that. It was a unique opportunity to watch her, and he took it. She was definitely tired, and he wondered what had caused it; even a late night didn't usually have that sort of affect on a person. Forcing himself to look away, he poured water into the kettle and set it to boil. Then he went about fixing his own breakfast; more tofu eggs and bacon.

The whistle of the kettle woke her. Suppressing a yawn, she watched as Beast Boy placed a mug of hot water in front of her, along with one of her special herbal teabags. There was already a muffin on a plate, along with the cream she liked, sitting before her. "Thanks." She intoned, trying to stay awake.

"Late night?" He inquired, nibbling on some tofu bacon.

"Hmmm. Yeah. Meditating." After placing the teabag in the mug, she managed to cut the muffin in two and apply some cream. _Do I tell them about the premonition? _She wondered. _It's not as though I know anything yet. _In the end it came down their being a team. "Trigon is up to something." She finally intoned impassively.

"Oh." He didn't know what to say. "How?" He finally asked.

The violet-haired girl took a tiny bite of her muffin. Without the tea it was a bit too dry. "No idea." She reluctantly admitted. "It's just a vague premonition, but I spoke with my emoticlones last night and Knowledge agrees it's him."

"Oh." The shape shifter picked up another piece of bacon. "But you can always become White Raven, and toss him back in that prison dimension? Right?"

"I doubt it'll be that easy." She took the teabag out of the mug, and took a sip. "He'll be prepared for that this time."

"And here I thought that was one villain we wouldn't see again." He sighed. "Wish someone would make an escape proof jail." He added, taking a sip of tofu milk.

"Me too." Raven agreed. "Catch a villain once, and end of story."

"Would be nice." Beast Boy mused. "If the premonition is so vague, are you sure it's Trigon and not something else?" He asked.

"Knowledge suggested a couple of things it might be. For example Rage stirring up trouble, or ... hrm ... other things." Their debate over Robin and Beast Boy as love interests wasn't something she was going to bring up. "We checked on her, and we're pretty certain it isn't her."

"How's she doing?" The shape shifter asked.

"Given she beat up Brave, pretty good. Didn't get a scratch on her." The violet-haired girl's lips turned down in nearly imperceptible frown. "No idea how she managed that. Brave is my warrior side, and should've put at least a few marks on her."

"Pretty tough." Beast Boy smiled slightly.

"Don't smile." Raven intoned impassively. "She's my evil side and I don't like her being so strong."

He shrugged. "Guess I must like girls who are bad then." He said, teasing her.

"Don't joke." Raven intoned apathetically, with a slight twitch in her left eye. "You're lucky she didn't decide to just kill you when she pulled you into her domain. She could've done it in a snap."

"Hey. I managed a draw in the first fight, and won the second. I hardly think she would've found it quite_ that _easy." He found her tone, and her implications, insulting.

"Yeah. Right. She was just playing with you." The violet-haired girl insisted.

"If you say so." He rose and tossed his dish in the sink. "Enjoy breakfast." He said, tone unnaturally calm, as he left.

She frowned after him, realizing she must have sounded pretty arrogant. Still, her dark magic made her the most powerful Titan; it wasn't something to either brag about, or deny. Actually, she would've been glad to be rid of her demon side. Looking down at the half eaten muffin, the kitchen seemed empty around her. Wierd that even a couple of days of having him around in the morning would cause that sort of feeling. She sighed, unable to suppress it. After she finished eating, she would talk to him and apologize. He would probably be on the roof like usual.

* * *

The shape shifter stood outside of Robin's door and knocked. Inside he heard their leader mutter, annoyed at the disruption. Given the early hour, it was understandable. Ten seconds later the door opened.

"I'm taking the day off." Beast Boy informed the sleepy-eyed leader. Being a part of the team, it was required. When something was happening, Robin needed to know who was around in order to make plans, and respond quickly. It wasn't much use to plan a strategy, only to find someone vital for it was gone for the day.

"Where to? How long?" Robin gave him a worried look.

"An exhibit for snakes, around a hundred miles from here." He shrugged. "So probably til late evening, depending on which way I travel. I'm thinking bird, and using my own two wings."

"Okay." The leader looked relieved.

Beast Boy wondered if he'd though he was leaving for good.

"How're you doing?" Robin asked.

"Okay." He shrugged, recalling the taste of real bacon. Actually it hadn't been any different from the tofu kind. But still the thought made him want to throw up. "I better be going." He turned and headed towards the roof.

"Okay. No rush." Robin called after him.

* * *

Soon the shape shifter was free, soaring through the air at eighty miles per hour as a White-throated Needletail. The round trip should take less than three hours. Add in an hour at the exhibit and he could be back in four. But there was no rush. He'd said he would be gone until late evening, and that was quite a ways off. Tilting his wings, he drifted a little ways out to sea. He could afford to take the scenic route.

Flying, he analyzed his feelings, and found he wasn't angry at either Raven or Robin. The violet-haired girl had every right to be confident of her abilities. She could unleash more destruction than even Cyborg could with his sonic cannon. On top of that she could shield herself and teleport. In sparring matches, she always won. Since Rage was, in a way, a part of her, it was to be expected that Rage would win any fights against him. Telling her he'd beaten the emoticlone was like telling her the sky was yellow, and that there were ripe, red, strawberries floating around in the air. Of course she'd expressed disbelief. He'd been very lucky, and had taken risks he wouldn't in a normal fight.

As for Robin, Raven's apology the day before had clearly indicated their leader was sorry as well. Still, he didn't know how to deal being around him, or Cyborg, for that matter. The ocean called, and he let himself drift a little further out. Things, he decided, would work their way out; for now he would just enjoy the wind and the sea and stretching of his wings. It was good to be alive.

Two hours later he dropped down in front of a world renown institute for snakes. It boasted the largest collection of snakes anywhere in the world, and that was what he'd come to see. Brute force by any land animal against a Torkop would've been futile. But a lowly snake had killed one. When he'd started searching for animals to add to the collection of shapes he could use, he'd done a lot of research. The Inland Taipan had been selected based on its venom. Once the species had been chosen, he'd search for the largest one he could find. Back then he'd settled for just half a dozen types of snakes; he was about to change that.

Beast Boy walked through the exhibits, viewing the specimens. Color, he noted would help one hide. So he made selections based on that. Venom was also something he selected for. He hated killing, but with the Torkop it had been necessary. It would be useful to have the potential, just in case.

Snakes that were the color of sand, snakes that were black, snakes that were green, ... He chose more than two dozen different species, and with a touch of their skin, gained enough DNA to learn how to transform into them. Getting that DNA wasn't quite that simple though. The enclosures were sealed, and with good reason. He'd ended up having to turn into an amoeba, and infiltrate through the water system. Things had gotten pretty iffy when one of the snakes drank him. He'd had to turn into a smaller snake, and crawl out.

* * *

In all, it took two hours. Outside, he bought an ice cream cone, sat back on a bench, and did some thinking. _Where does one draw the line between good and evil, between hero and villain. _The though interested him, since he was considering committing a crime. His investigation into snakes had led him to an article about research being done on dinosaur DNA. A mere ten miles away, there was a research organization that had managed to recreate the full genome for a Sarcosuchus. In general terms, they were super crocodiles that were up to forty feet long, and weighed as much as ten to fifteen tons. Not only that, but the research had been done on the remains of a very large specimen. In contrast his T-rex form came from an adolescent creature.

The shape shifter munched on the ice cream, and drooled at getting his hands on that Sarcosuchus DNA. It wasn't as if he would be stealing anything, just a few strands of DNA that they'd made dozens of copies of. It wouldn't cost them anything. _Forty feet long. _He mused to himself. _Ten tons._ _And I wouldn't be hurting anything. _He sat there for an hour, and continued to drool. It was irresistible.

* * *

The building had security that was meaningless to the shape shifter. He flew over the ten foot fence as a humming bird, and sought out a window. He entered as a mouse, and proceeded to search the whole building. Eventually he found what he'd come for. The DNA was stored in several canisters that were kept close to zero degrees celsius. He only needed one. Still drooling, he waited on the wall in the form of an amoeba. Eventually someone came along, and punched in the code for the refrigeration unit where the canisters were being stored. When they left, he reverted to his human form and went to punch in the numbers.

"See Flash. I told you it wasn't a glitch in the computer system." He heard a familiar voice say. Turning around he saw Jinx and Kid Flash watching him. He was glad of the robe he wore, picked up just in case a camera got a view of him.

"Hold it right there." Kid Flash ordered.

He took a deep breath. "Hiya Flash, hiya Jinx." He said, trying to disguise his voice. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Do we know you?" Jinx demanded. "You aren't from the Brotherhood of Evil are you?"

His eyes glanced at the fridge. A few more minutes and he would've been out of there, safe. _It's either give myself up, and get a criminal record. Which I'm sure Raven will no doubt love to make sarcastic comments about... Oh wait... I wouldn't even be a Titan, so I wouldn't be around to hear them. Or get out somehow. But how do I beat someone who can move faster than I can blink my eyes._ He thought on the problem. Just escaping, he decided, would be easy; change into an amoeba again, which would make it appear as if he'd just vanished. But he really wanted that DNA. If it hadn't meant removing the hood, he would have wiped away the drool that was on his mouth.

Kid Flashed moved with the speed he was renown for, and several circles of rope appeared around him. "One villain all wrapped up." He said, sounding pleased. The boy reached for the hood Beast Boy was wearing.

He switched into an amoeba, vanishing from their sight; the coils of rope dropped to the floor around him. The ventilation system created enough draft to move him several feet, and he return to his human form.

"Magic?" Flash asked Jinx?

"I didn't sense anything." She replied, focusing on the cloaked shape shifter. She moved her hands, and a barrier rose to surround him. "It'll stop anyone inside from using magic, unless they're really powerful."

He studied the barrier. There was a small breeze blowing through it, so it wasn't solid. He switched to an amoeba again, and once more the air currents carried him a short distance. The barrier, he saw, was actually made of a series of fibers woven together. Outside of it, he returned to his human form, still wondering how he could get access to that DNA. He couldn't even fight. If he used anything other than the amoeba or his human form, it would give away who he was.

"I don't want to fight." He told them. "I didn't come here to hurt anything." He knew it was a futile gesture. Heros didn't negotiate with villains. At least not normally. They arrested them.

"Sure." Kid Flash responded. "What were you going to do? Make an army of dinosaurs and take over the world with them?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." The shape shifter replied.

"Terrorize a city and demand they pay you ransom?" The boy asked.

"No."

"Flash. Stop giving the villain ideas." Jinx ordered.

"So. What are you doing here? With a cute girl like that, why aren't you out enjoying a movie or something?" He wondered out loud. "I know I would be."

"Cute?" Jinx asked.

"And let a villain go free. Not a chance." Kid Flash responded.

He shrugged. Jinx's hands, he noticed were starting to rise. Slowly, as if she was trying to hide the gesture. _She uses hand magic. _He recalled, a bit worried. _And she's about to try something._ He placed himself directly between her and Kid Flash. Having fought her a few times, he knew just when to vanish back into the form of an amoeba. He felt something pass him, and hit the boy standing behind him.

"Flash. Are you okay?" Jinx yelled, rushing to his side.

The superhero nodded, looking like he was in a daze. "Just what did you hit me with?" He asked.

"A bad luck curse. I'm so sorry." She held her boyfriend.

Beast Boy recalled his conversation with Rage, that he wasn't just an animal, and that he had human cunning on his side. He smiled.

"You're going to pay big time for that." Jinx turned on him in a fury. For all her being cute with pink hair, she looked scary.

"Too late." He replied, still trying to disguise his voice.

"What do you mean?" She asked, prowling towards him, hands raised.

He shrugged. "I just realized how easy it'll be to beat both of you. You could just let me take what I came for. No one needs to get hurt."

"You're bluffing." She replied. "And no one hurts Flash." She growled the later part.

"Technically you're the one who hurt him." Beast Boy pointed out. It didn't seem to help matters; her eyes practically glowed with rage, and he vanished back into the form of an amoeba.

She rushed to the spot where he'd been, and he landed on her back. It took but a second for him to turn into an electric eel, shock her into unconsciousness, and return his amoeba form. Even any cameras wouldn't have seen him, given he'd used the back of her uniform to camouflage himself. Extending appendages, he let the breeze lift him onto Kid Flash, who'd appeared over his girlfriends unmoving form with a worried expression. Once again he became an electric eel. And the battle was over. _Who knew that form would be so useful. _Beast Boy silently mused.

Returning to his human form, he checked on the two fallen honorary Titans before taking one of the canisters from the fridge. He would have to wait for it to warm up before using it. Placing it in his cloak, he left the building, sighing as he did so. Given the circumstances, there was no way he would be able to use the new shape. It would point the finger for this crime right at him. _Such is the life of a villain. _He mused. _Crime really doesn't pay._

The shape shifter took to the skies, and two hours later set down on the roof of the tower. Along the way he'd stopped and absorbed the DNA of the Sarcosuchus. The canister he'd dropped in a river where he hoped it would never be found. Not that it could lead back to him, but he preferred to put the whole event behind him. He didn't know which was scarier. Prison, or that Jinx might find out he'd been the one to shock her boyfriend. Both together would be intolerable.

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The weary, violet-haired, girl intoned. After breakfast she'd searched for Beast Boy, only to find he'd asked for a day off. A trickle of fear nibble at the back of mind, wondering if he would be back. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned once again. She slapped her face, and nearly screamed. Between wondering if the shape shifter was going to be back and worrying what that accursed Trigon was up to, she was unable to meditate. It had always come so easy to her, and now she couldn't remain focused for five minutes.

A knock came at her door, and she reached out to open it. At least her lack of tranquility didn't seem to be affecting her use of magic too much.

"Evening." Beast Boy greeted her.

"Evening." She replied, not knowing whether to be angry she'd worried so much over him or not. "What have you been up to?" She intoned impassively.

"Looking for more animals I can change into." He replied, studying her. She looked really tired.

"Find any?" She intoned.

"Yeah. Added about two dozen different types of snakes."

"Snakes? Why?"

He shrugged. "Why not? There're nearly three thousand species of them, and some are quite useful."

"Oh." She suppressed a yawn.

"Still have that premonition?"

The violet-haired girl wearily nodded. "I'm not going to get any sleep tonight." She replied. "I told the others about it." She informed him.

"Good. It'll work out." The shape shifter reassured her with a smile. "You beat him once, and it can be done again."

"Hope so." She mused, looking at him. He didn't seem angry. "Sorry I sounded so arrogant this morning." The violet-haired girl simply said, sounding apathetic.

"I can see why you would have the view you do. There's no reason for either of us to get angry over it. Besides, I used up a lifetime of luck during that fight, so it's not something I can repeat. For that matter it's not something I want to repeat. Next time I'll just ask her to settle it with a game of rock-paper-scissors." He rubbed his shoulder, recalling the arm he'd had to regenerate in the form of worm. Fighting Rage was definitely not something he cared to try again.

"I'm sure she'll agree to that." Raven replied sarcastically.

He smiled, that was her old tone; his heart started beating a little faster.

"What're you so nervous about?" She asked with a yawn.

"Me nervous? No way." He smiled, but his eyes were twitching.

"You're so horrible at lying." She replied, suppressing a small grin.

"Guess I'm a little nervous." He admitted. "Could use something to calm down my nerves." He kept seeing Jinx's face, and not in a good way. He shuddered.

"Meditation?" She suggested. "Thought it's not doing me much good right now."

"Sure. Why not." He sat down in a lotus position across from her, and looked at her expectantly.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, and he repeated it.

For some reason she found the tranquility she'd been seeking all day.

An hour later he opened his eyes and slapped his forehead. "I know how I can beat Cyborg in those matches." He said, smiling. Looking around, he noticed Raven was peacefully sleeping, and hadn't heard a single word of what he'd said.

* * *

End of Chapter.

That's got to bother him. A new form and he can't use it. Not only that, but if he used it right, he could beat Cyborg. No wonder he's willing to try meditation.

Between them, Beast Boy and Raven, have got to be the two most interesting characters in the show. With his animals forms the only limit to what he can do is that set by the imagination. I'm sure Raven's magic can be applied in a similar way. The rest are constricted by the limits of their forms.

It's certainly interesting to read up a little on possible animal forms for Beast Boy to use. And often scary. If I didn't have a fear of snakes before I started this story, I will after I've completed it.

Thanks to those who read and review.


	8. Chapter 8

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: The next day._

* * *

_**Waking Up,... Breakfast,... Sparring,... The Riddle and Meditation,...**_

A black smoke that was ice cold swirled around him; shivering, he held his arms around himself, trying to conserve some heat. _Where is this place? _Beast Boy wondered. It was impossible to see any distance, but somehow it felt familiar. _The black is sort of like Raven's magic, and the chill is how it feels to the touch. So this has something to do with Raven. But what? _He tried to analyze the situation, but other than it involved the girl somehow, he came up empty. He had no idea how he'd got here, or exactly where here was.

"Morning." A dark voice came from somewhere in front of him. "Sorry if it seems a bit strange, but it's the best I can do."

"Rage?" Beast Boy asked, not sure if it was her.

"It's me." She replied.

"Heard you've been beating up on the emoticlones again." The shape shifter said, not knowing what else to say.

"Nay. She barged in here looking for a fight, so I just obliged her." The voice had a little chuckle to it. "You should've seen her face. Priceless."

"I'll bet." He looked around, still unable to see through the smoke. Being a bat might fix that problem, but then he wouldn't be able to talk.

"Learn any good shapes lately?"

"A few. A super strong octopus that squirts acid, and a giant crocodile."

"Nice." There was a pause. "Not all creatures are real you know?"

"Not real?" He was sure she meant something other than mythological creatures like unicorns.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out. Raven's life depends on it. As does those of all your friends. If my guess is right, you have two days."

Beast Boy gulped. "If it's that important, then stop with the riddles. Just tell me what you mean."

"Where's the fun in that?" The dark voice asked.

"It's no fun when the stakes are so high." He insisted. "Please."

"I have my reasons, and they aren't just for my amusement. I would if I could." The demonic voice sounded apologetic.

He sighed, rubbing his forehead. _Why are things never simple? _He wondered.

"This I will tell you straight out, though." Rage spoke again. "She likes old books and charms. If you like her, then fight for her."

"Raven?" He asked.

"Who else would I mean? Things will go bad if she gets too serious over bird brain. Not in the short term, but in the long run it will create a menace just as abhorrent as Trigon himself."

"How?" He demanded.

"Better for her not to know." Rage replied from the darkness. "And you better get out of her room before she wakes up." There was a small laugh. "I'm pretty sure she won't appreciate that ... yet."

He blinked, sitting up on the floor. In front of him was Raven, sleeping on her bed. Vaguely he recalled meditating with her the night before, and her falling asleep. Obviously he must have wandered off to dreamland himself. Heeding the red-clad emoticlone's warning, he fled the room, wondering if it had been just a dream. In his own room he sat down to think, and decided it was too serious to ignore. He also had the feeling that this wasn't something he could ask anyone about. It no doubt had something to do with Trigon's ability to see and hear all; saying a word would attract the monster's attention. He gulped and shuddered; that was something he definitely didn't want to do.

* * *

The violet-haired girl yawned and stretched; warm and comfortable, she drew the blankets tightly around her, and enjoyed a few more minutes rest. _If I slept like that every night, then maybe Beast Boy wouldn't irritate me so easily. _She mused. The thought brought her fully awake, and she looked around recalling the previous evening. As unbelievable as if was, the shape shifter had sat down and meditated with her. _Or maybe it was a dream._ She deliberated on the issue, and decided it'd been real. Given she had no recollection of him leaving, it was also obvious she'd fallen asleep with him still there. Blushing a little, she looked at the blanket. That must've been his doing too.

Sitting, she levitated, and started to mediate. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, quickly finding the peace her mantra usually brought her. The premonition still lurked in the back of her mind, but it no longer dominated her thoughts. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She passively recited over and over for an hour.

Descending into Nevermore, she reached out with her senses, and found Knowledge. Levitating, she soon reached the yellow-clad emoticlone who was resting under a tree with a book in her hand.

"Morning." The emoticlone said, not looking up. Even for her, she appeared to be deep in thought.

"Morning." Raven replied, sitting down. "Any more clues on what Trigon is up to?"

Knowledge shook her head. "Until something happens, there won't be." She frowned. "But Rage was active earlier."

"What? How?" The girl asked, wondering if her peaceful feeling was about to take a nosedive.

"Just a few minutes before you woke up she breached the seal on her domain." Knowledge flipped a page in her book.

"She what?" Raven focused her full attention on the yellow-clad emoticlone, her eyes burning like lasers into her.

Knowledge shrugged. "She didn't leave. I don't think she could. But she reached outside of it."

"How?" Raven demanded.

"I don't know." The emoticlone pushed her spectacles back in place.

"What was she trying to do?"

"I don't know."

Raven sat back and sighed. "You sure? I mean there's no way she could've breached the seal. I would've detected it."

"I'm sure." Knowledge flipped another page. "She used portal magic to bypass it. I'm just not sure how, or what she was up to."

"Great." She sighed, and rested back against a tree.

"As far as I can tell, she didn't do any harm." Knowledge comforted her.

"If I can't breach her seal to get in, then it's impossible for her to breach it to get out." Raven insisted. "She was only a threat before because of Trigon. You sure he wasn't involved?"

"What she did had nothing to do with him. I would have sensed the malice." The emoticlone pointed out. "She's also not possessed by him. Once again, no malice."

"And the day started off so good to." Raven mused out loud.

Knowledge chuckled, smiling.

"What?" She looked at the smiling emoticlone.

"Oh. I was just wondering if being tucked in by a certain someone had anything to do with that." Knowledge kept her face stoic, but there was a twinkle in her eyes.

"Definitely not!" Raven practically shouted.

"I think it was." Came a voice from her left. Looking, she saw Happy enter the clearing, smiling.

"And now we know he's better than Robin because ..." Whap! A book flew through the air and hit her on the forehead. Eyes rolling up, she fell backwards, unconscious.

"Ouch!" Raven muttered, rubbing her head. "That hurts me too remember."

"Sorry." Knowledge replied, rising to retrieve her book. "It must've slipped."

"Yeah. With enough force to knock someone out." She looked at the unconscious emoticlone. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing." Knowledge lied, using her cloak to create a pillow for Happy. "Just some idle speculation and nothing for you to be concerned about."

"Right." Raven used her usual sarcastic tone. "It's nothing. That's why you practically murdered Happy."

"Stop worrying about Rage." The emoticlone advised her. "She hates Trigon even more than you do, and won't willingly aid him. Forget about the premonition until we have more information to go on. Fretting about it will only wear you out."

"That's it? Stop worrying? And you're my smart side?" Raven looked at the emoticlone, obviously irritated.

"That's it." Came the reply. "Oh. And bring BB the next time you visit."

"Why?"

The emoticlone shrugged. "It'll be nice to have someone to talk to."

"Forget it." Raven firmly stated. "He's never getting into my mind again. Did Brave say anything about her fight with Rage?"

"Did you expect her to?" Knowledge laughed. "Her pride's been injured. We're not going to get much out of her."

Raven sighed again._ I'm a really difficult person to deal with. _She admitted to herself.

* * *

Beast Boy cooked another batch of pancakes, wondering if she would bother eating them. He figured she would be down soon, and the gesture wouldn't hurt. Well, it wouldn't hurt anything other than his feelings. But thinking on Rage's words of old books and charms, he'd decided trying food wouldn't do any harm. Unless it caused her to blast him, in which case it would be very painful. Briefly he wondered why she avoided the food Cyborg cooked. It certainly wasn't because she was squeamish over meat.

"Morning." He greeted the violet-haired girl, noting she looked a lot better than she had the day before.

"Morning." Raven responded, sitting down at the table. She was surprised at the offered plate of pancakes, and took them gratefully. The kettle was already almost boiled, and there was a teabag beside her plate. "Thanks." She added, pouring syrup on the pancakes. _If he's cooking for me again, he must've forgiven me for being so vicious. _She mused, and a slight smile appeared on her lips.

He sat down across from her, and dug into his own breakfast, wondering what Rage had meant by all creatures not being real. He wasn't the best at riddles.

The violet-haired girl ate happily. The food was good, and the silence was nice. She decided she really did enjoy his company; at least sometimes. Blushing, she recalled that he'd tucked her into bed the night before. Following Knowledge's advice, she pushed her worries about Rage and Trigon to one side.

* * *

He found himself standing outside of Robin's door once again. Once again he heard muttering coming from inside.

"Hi Beast Boy." Their leader greeted him.

"I need the day off." The shape shifter replied.

Robin appeared to give it some thought. "I wish I could." He finally said. "But given Raven thinks Trigon is up to something, I want everyone at the tower for the next few days. We need to be ready if he tries something."

Beast Boy nodded. He could tell that Robin really did regret not being able to give him the day off. And needing to stick together made sense. Back when the Brotherhood of Evil had made their move, separating had nearly caused them a major defeat. But still, how could he hunt for something if he was stuck at the tower? "Having more animal forms I can use will help." He pointed out. "It's worth the risk."

Robin appeared to give it some thought.

"How about a bet?" The shape shifter suggested.

"A bet?"

He nodded. "If I beat Cyborg in a sparring match today, I get the day off. If not then I don't. Beating him would show I'm improving."

Their leader was quiet for a long time. Then he sighed. "Okay, but try not to go too far from the tower. Assuming you win."

"Okay." He turned to leave.

"Hey, Beast Boy. Good luck." Robin called after him.

He turned around. "I'll need it. I figure I got at best a fifty/fifty chance today."

"A new strategy?"

The shape shifter nodded. "Problem is getting close to him before he hits me with that cannon. Running and flying just don't cut it. So I had to come up with something other than those two methods of travel."

"Ah. Will be interesting to see." The leader smiled.

* * *

Standing on the obstacle course the first thing their leader did was pull out a poster. Beast Boy gulped, recognizing the person in the picture.

"Seems we got a new villain on the loose." Robin spoke out in a loud voice. "Only description we got is that he's short and wears a black cloak. He took down Kid Flash and Jinx yesterday, so he's pretty good."

"How?" Raven intoned apathetically.

"They're not sure. It seemed like magic, but Jinx couldn't detect anything, so might have been some device that duplicated it. Teleportation seemed to be one of his tricks, but her barriers couldn't hold him."

"If it's magic, then it must be pretty powerful." Raven replied impassively. "And a black cloak would be something a magician would wear."

"Yeah, my thinking exactly." Robin agreed. "If any of you spot him, alert the rest of us, and we'll handle it as a team." Their leader put the poster to one side, and announced that today they would be sparring again.

He stood thirty feet from his foe and waited, patiently studying the layout of the course.

"Ready B?" Cyborg asked.

He nodded, and dropped down on all four in the form of a cheetah. He raced at his foe, muscles straining, eyes focused on the sonic cannon. When he knew it was fractions of a second from firing, he dodged to one side, and changed into a twenty-four foot long Python reticulatus; the longest snake in the world. Since he was eleven feet from his opponent, and the shape change took place instantly, his open jaws were instantly on the sonic cannon, pushing it aside. His body constricted with amazing speed, and wrapped around the stunned Titan.

Still flesh was pretty weak against his opponent's titanium enhanced frame, and the cannon was brought to bear. It fired, and the match was over. He'd lost.

"Close." He heard Cyborg mutter.

"Again." Ordered Robin, who'd been watching.

Standing back at thirty feet once more, he considered his options. He would need to change form again as soon as the Python wrapped around the other Titan. Either the beast or the Torkop, since using the giant crocodile was out. He shuddered, recalling the poster Robin had shown them. It burned, knowing the giant crocodile would give him certain victory.

"Go." Robin commanded.

Once more he raced forward as a cheetah. This time he was twelve feet from his foe before the sonic cannon was brought to bear. Dodging, he became the Python again. It was close, but the cannon was knocked a fraction of a degree off course. He contracted, and became the beast just before Cyborg could re-aim it. He attacked savagely, trying to keep his opponent from bringing the cannon to bear. Before the Maximum-7 chip it would have been an easy victory. As it was, the cybernetic teen matched the speed of the beast even if he lacked its natural weapons. Knowing it could end either way, he desperately switched to a Torkop and managed to wrap three of his arms around the cannon. Lifting his other three tentacles, he aimed them as his foe's face. Victory was assured, and the match ended.

"Congratulation." Raven said, breaking her stoic expression for a fraction of a second to give him a brief smile.

"Thanks." He replied, his heart suddenly beating faster. He hadn't even realized the girl was watching. Which was probably a good thing given it would have made him nervous; losing in front of her was something he hated.

"Okay. You can take the day off." Robin said.

"Thanks." Given he'd lost the first match, he realized the leader was being generous. There'd been no need for him to allow a rematch, and no reason for him to accept it as an actual match that would satisfy the conditions of the bet.

He sat back to watch Raven, who'd taken to the air to fight Starfire. It would have taken the violet-haired girl all of ten seconds to force the alien to admit defeat, but she drew it out for over an half hour. It gave them both more practice.

"Hey Cy, want to try it again?" He asked.

"Sure." The hyper-competitive teen replied, looking surprised.

Beast Boy grinned. Knowing the cybernetic teen, that Maximum-7 chip was busy trying different simulation, searching for a sure-fire way to win. Rage had been right, he'd just become too complacent.

* * *

For the shape shifter having the day off was for the most part wasted; he didn't know where to go, or exactly what he was looking for. _Not all creatures are real. _He mused to himself. He spent an hour just circling the tower in the form of a falcon. He spent two on the computer, mostly staring at the screen, listing different species. Tired of it, he then spent more time in the air. It was a good day for flying; the sun was hot and there were plenty of thermals. For a while he tried to set a new record for how high he could fly; it wore him out just enough to keep him from being restless as he pondered the problem Rage had given him. For some reason his mind kept coming back to unicorns. Everyone knew they weren't real.

Annoyed at his inability to figure the riddle out, he returned to the tower. It was starting to get dark, and as good as it felt to just fly it was useless to just circle the tower endlessly. Figuring since meditation helped the day before, he decided to try it again. Besides, it would give him a reason to visit Raven.

* * *

A knock came at her door, and she reach out to open it. To her surprise it was Beast Boy again. Recalling the previous night, she found herself blushing.

"Mind if I try meditating with you again this evening?" He asked, sounding tired.

She pondered the question. She wasn't sleepy, so she was unlikely to fall asleep like she'd the night before, and it had felt good to meditate with someone. "Why?" She intoned, curious.

The question surprised him. He shrugged and responded. "I have a question that I can't figure out, and its driving me crazy. Since meditating last night might have played a role in figuring out how to beat Cyborg, I was hoping it might help me again. Besides I like spending time with you. Do I really need a reason?"

Recalling that he had _feelings_ for her, she frowned slightly. But he didn't seem to be obsessing on them; not like she had over Robin. She blushed, recalling he'd seen her _sort_ of kiss a poster. "What's the question you're having trouble with?" She asked, pointing to a spot beside her.

"It's sort of a secret. Something I got to figure out by myself." He sighed, rubbing his head. "I'm not the best at riddles."

"It's a riddle?" The violet-haired girl intoned. _Since when is he into riddles? _She wondered.

"Yeah. I've been thinking about it all day. But I haven't come up with any solid answers. Some that seem they might fit, but nothing I'm sure of."

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, and he repeated it. She decided to just stop worrying about the emoticlones' suggestion that he was a good match for her, and just enjoy his company. She made sure to evict him this time before she fell asleep.

"Help any?" She asked, as he was leaving.

"No. But at least I'm calmer now, and can think better. Thanks." He smiled at her.

"No problem. Come again tomorrow if you want." She replied, surprised she'd actually said that.

"If you don't mind, I think I will."

* * *

End of Chapter.

He finally beat Cyborg's sonic cannon at least once. That must've been satisfying.

Will Raven take Beast Boy to Nevermore with her? And if so, what will happen? And more importantly, just how daring can he be?

What happens in two days, and can he find a creature that isn't real?

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	9. Chapter 9

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to comments:_

_I don't see him ever being able to combine two animals to create a new one. An interesting idea for another story maybe._

_When Rage mentions old books and charms in the previous chapter, it was a hint what Raven likes; what to buy her to get her attention. It had nothing to do with the hint that 'not all creatures are real.'_

_Time: The next day._

* * *

_**Visions,... Nevermore,... Breakfast,... Nevermore,... A Fight,... Another Fight,... A WHAT!,...**_

A single violet eye opened, and then closed again. _My head. _Raven silently moaned. The premonition, an intense feeling of dread, was pounding at the back of her skull like a severe migraine. Then there were the dreams she'd had. Unlike the ones of a few days past, these she knew were visions of what was going to happen. _Or might happen. _She tried to reassure herself; her visions didn't always come true. Pushing the blankets away, she sat up, rubbing at her eyes, trying to banish the images. In one Trigon himself had risen from the earth, and turned her friends to stone before her eyes. She'd been held imprisoned for eternity between their outstretched arms. Unable to move, forced to gaze forever into their petrified faces, she'd watched the stars grow old and die, knowing she'd failed them. That one she was pretty sure was just a nightmare. Terrifying, but nothing more than a bad dream. Or so she hoped.

It were the ones that involved Slade that truly bothered her. Those she knew were visions. Armies of burning golems of stone assaulting the tower, and her friends falling one by one. The psychopath standing over her in triumph to drag her back to that vile demon. The portal reopened and the earth frozen in time. With dread she'd seen the sun expand in its red giant phase and consume the world; the cosmos echoed with nothing but pain for billions upon billions of years. That was the worse one, but there were others.

Some of the visions were strange. In a few she saw Beast Boy turn into a gigantic lizard that she'd never seen him use. Surely if he'd had access to that sort of creature he would've used it before. In that form he charged the golems time and time again, swiping with his massive tail and crushing dozens beneath his feet. It was futile; Slade cast forth blasts of red fire, and the shape shifter died. In others he was absent, and those were the strangest of them all. What could've kept the changeling from such a battle? _Was he already dead in those? _She wondered, her chest hurting at the thought.

In only one vision did she feel a sense of hope. Beast Boy was absent, and Slade was casting an inferno of fire at her that was about to consume her. _Does that mean if I die, then the world might live? _She pondered that, and decided it would be worth it; especially if it could in some way save her friends.

Wearily she reached out, picking up the mirror that was her portal to Nevermore. _Is there any use talking to them? _She wondered, not feeling up to arguing with herself. In her mind Knowledge's advice to ignore the problem wasn't logical, though at the time she herself hadn't had any better ideas.

* * *

"Morning." Knowledge greeted her, her tone serious.

"The world is going to die again." Raven simply stated.

"We don't know that for sure." The yellow-clad emoticlone pointed out. "That was what we thought last time, and yet the world continued."

"Luck like that doesn't happen twice." She paced around the emoticlone, fretting too much to remain still.

"It wasn't luck that defeated Trigon. It was hope, and a refusal to give up." Countered Knowledge. "If you admit defeat now, that aids him."

"How can there be hope when you're fighting an immortal demon?" Questioned Raven. "Even if he's defeated this time, he will just try again. Eventually he will win."

"At least now you know what to do." Knowledge replied.

"Die?" Raven asked, serious. "The only vision with hope in it has me dying. If I'm dead then there is no portal, no path for him to this world."

"You didn't die in that vision." Knowledge firmly stated. "It ended before that point, so we don't know what happened."

"Then what do I do?" Asked the pessimistic girl.

"Slade is once again his servant, and assaults the tower. So you fortify it to the best of your ability."

"Oh." Raven paced around. In the visions there had been such fortifications, and yet it had availed them not; they'd been crushed beneath that burning army.

"We would like to see BB." Knowledge said nonchalantly.

"At a time like this?" She peered at the yellow-clad emoticlone as if she was insane.

"If you're right, and the world is about to end, then there will be no other time." Knowledge pointed out.

"Hrmph." There was no way to counter that Raven admitted. "Keep Rude and Sloth out of sight somewhere." She stated. "Just in case I do bring him. And Love too for that matter." She added, thinking.

* * *

She sat in the kitchen waiting, sipping a cup of herbal tea. The visions had caused her to wake up earlier than usual. Briefly she considered trying to make the team pancakes again, but recalling what'd happened the last time she decided to forego that. Only Starfire had liked them. The rest of the team had nearly killed themselves eating them, trying not to invoke her ire. Despite the circumstances she smiled at the memory. _And I had the nerve to complain about Beast Boy's cooking. _She mused to herself.

"Morning." Beast Boy greeted the violet-haired girl.

"Morning." She replied.

"Want pancakes again?" He asked.

"Hrm. Why not let me try some tofu eggs and bacon. I promise not to whine this time." She smiled at him.

"Huh?" He stumbled in surprise. "Sure." He finally replied, pulling out the frying pan. Soon the kitchen was filled with the aroma of cooking food. He didn't bother to talk, being satisfied that she was present, enjoying her company. He smiled as he fried the eggs and bacon.

She watched him. Unlike her, he clearly knew his way around the kitchen. When a plate was placed in front of her she tentatively tried a piece of bacon. It was good, and tasted exactly like the real thing. Still the demon in her knew it wasn't real meat. She ignored that part of her, and ate. She did the dishes, figuring it was the least she could do given he'd done the cooking.

"The world is going to end soon." She told him, voice apathetic, as she returned the frying pan to it proper place.

"Again?" The shape shifter asked, not sounding surprised. Rage had told him two days or all his friends would die.

"Yeah. Want to visit Nevermore with me?" She figured there wasn't any harm in it. He's already knew about Rage, and had seen some of her emoticlones. Still, she hoped Knowledge managed to keep Sloth and Rude from coming around while he was there. If he saw Rude she would die of embarrassment. As for Sloth? She'd given the shape shifter so much grief over being lazy that there was no way she wanted him to see her own lazy side.

"Hrm. Sure." He was stunned, though also happy she was inviting him to such a place.

"Knowledge wants to talk to you for some reason." She explained, seeing his surprise.

* * *

The shape shifter looked around the peaceful forest. The yellow sky was the same, as were the floating strawberries. He wondered if they were actually good to eat, but decided not to give it a try. If he messed up Raven might kill him. Sometimes it was better safe than sorry.

"Hello BB." Knowledge greeted him with a tense smile.

"BB." Happy cried gleefully, hanging onto his arm, beaming a smile at him.

_Wonder if anyone's told her the world is about to end. _Beast Boy wondered, tossing her a smile in return.

"Hey B." Brave said, sounding tough

"Hi." He responded. Seeing Timid hiding in some bushes a short distance a way he smiled at her. "Hi Timid." He added. She shrank a little further into the foliage, but still stayed.

"Tell us about your time in Rage's domain." Knowledge spoke, getting down to business.

"Why?"

"We're curious." The yellow-clad emoticlone replied.

"Not much to say. We fought, and nearly killed each other. I got lucky, and managed to survive."

"Did she seem out of control?" Knowledge asked.

"At first." He admitted, with some reluctance. "She claimed my anger and her own innate sense of wrath had fed on each other. That it had got out of control. She apologized for it when things calmed down."

The emoticlone blinked. "Rage apologized?"

He nodded.

"Really?" Her tone expressed disbelief.

"Really." He responded.

"Oh." The emoticlone was clearly at a loss for words.

"Who won the fight?" She asked.

He shrugged and rubbed his shoulder. "The first was a draw. The second time I did. As I said, I got lucky."

"Why are you rubbing your shoulder." Knowledge stared where his hand was on his arm.

"Was pretty brutal. Lost it in the first fight."

"What?" Raven cried. "I know you had a lot of scars and it looked like you'd lost it, but since you still had it I assumed ..." She started, face pale. "I'm going to teach her a lesson the next time I see her." She stated, voice full of wrath.

"How did you manage to survive that?" Knowledge questioned, ignoring Raven's outburst.

"I can take on almost any animal form. To some of them losing an arm is nothing. Several hours and I can repair almost any amount of damage. Though it leaves scars." He shrugged. "Glad Raven was able to remove them."

"Just how bad can you be hurt and still survive?"

He shrugged again. "I've never tested it. The only way to find that limit would be to get hurt bad enough to die, and I really like being alive. And even if I lived, I would be disfigured by the scars."

"I see." The yellow-clad emoticlone replied. "Would you do me a favor?" She asked.

"If I can." He was all for helping the emoticlones, given they were a part of Raven.

"Fight Brave."

"What?" He and Raven cried together.

"No." Brave insisted. "I'm not hurting BB."

"After your loss to Rage, I would've thought you would want to prove yourself." Knowledge said, staring at the green-clad emoticlone.

"Not by hurting him."

The yellow-clad emoticlone rose and approached Brave. Beast Boy twitched his ears, and aimed them at the two.

"You know Brave, if you fight him, it would be a chance to get real close to him." Knowledge whispered to her fellow emoticlone.

"Close?" Brave whispered back, puzzled.

Knowledge nodded. "Just think. Rolling together on the ground wrestling."

"Oh. Brave blushed. "But I wouldn't have to hurt him." She insisted.

"No. Just pin him." Knowledge smiled.

"What are you two whispering about?" Raven asked.

"You don't want to know." Beast Boy replied, blushing.

"You heard?" Brave exclaimed, blushing even more than she'd been before.

"I did." The shape shifter replied. "I'm not fighting her."

"Afraid you would lose?" Knowledge asked, her voice stoic, yet holding a taunt in it.

"I wouldn't care if I won or lost." He simply stated. Rolling around on the ground with a Raven look-a-like was tempting, but he figured Raven would kill him if she found out why Brave had agreed to the fight.

"Oh." Knowledge started, realizing it wouldn't be a simple matter to get him to agree. "What would get you to agree?" She asked, taking the simple approach.

He shrugged. "Nothing that I can think of." He glanced at Raven, and then looked away. _At least nothing she would agree to. _He added to himself, depressed over the thought.

"You don't sound too sure." Knowledge noted.

_"It's the last day of the world. Go for it." _A voice much like Rage's spoke in his mind.

He looked around, wondering if he'd actually heard it. He noticed Knowledge had froze, and was concentrating on something. She looked puzzled, and worried.

"There is one thing." He said, swallowing nervously.

"Oh?" Knowledge peered at him.

"But it's not something she would ever agree to."

The yellow-clad emoticlone shrugged. "According to her you won't win, so why wouldn't see agree to it? She isn't risking anything. What is it you want?"

He approached the emoticlone and whispered in her ear.

"Oh." She said, taking a step back, and sitting down, her face a bright red.

"What?" Raven demanded, black energy flickered at her fingertips. "Someone tell me what's going on."

"I just want to see how he handles himself in a fight." Knowledge said. "Just a friendly match where no one gets hurt. Besides, aren't you curious?"

"No. I've sparred with him dozens of times outside of here, and always won."

"I think he'll have more incentive this time." The emoticlone mused, a smirk on her face. "Afraid she'll lose?"

"No. Certainly not. Brave would win in an instant." She was certain of this. The green-clad emoticlone was strong and aggressive, with access to all of Raven's magic.

"Then it doesn't matter right? The only reason you would disagree is if you thought she would lose."

"Fine." Fumed the girl. "Just get it over with." She was certain the emoticlone would win, and it was easier to just give in.

"Yay." Yelled Brave. "I get to ..." She paused. "Fight BB." She added, deciding it sounding better than wrestle or roll around with. Her face remained a deep red.

"Great." Replied Beast Boy. Winning this could get him killed. Not that he was sure how to win. With Rage there'd been a lot of luck, not to mention he'd taken chances he couldn't here. An amoeba was pretty fragile.

Without hesitating, Brave charged him. Seeing her deadly serious face, he gulped, and reflexively turned into a puppy with its paws over its eyes, whimpering.

Brave froze. "How cute." She exclaimed, and picked him up. A second later she slumped to the floor, shocked by the electric eel the shape shifter had changed into.

Knowledge blinked. "That was ..." She seemed at a loss for words.

"Anticlimactic." Suggested Beast Boy, surprised the trick had worked.

"The perfect word for it." The yellow-clad emoticlone agreed, still looking dazed.

"Oh come on." An insanely annoyed Raven yelled over the unmoving form of Brave. "Get up." She exclaimed. "That was just pathetic." She poked the green-clad emoticlone with her foot. "And you're my warrior side. Good grief." She sat down, and stared.

Timid dared to come out of hiding long enough to help Happy make the fallen emoticlone comfortable. Then she hid behind more bushes. Raven just kept staring through it all.

"So what was the bet?" She asked, knowing she probably didn't want to know. From the way they'd acted it had to be pretty bad.

"We'll talk about that later. For now, please just step aside."

The girl looked up. She'd never heard the emoticlone's voice so serious. She blinked as she saw Knowledge standing there, hands full of dark energy. "What's going on?" She asked. A dark barrier rose to surround her.

"Hmm. I second that question." Beast Boy said, stepping back.

"The test didn't go quite as planned." Knowledge simply said. "I won't be tricked as easily." Her hands rose, and dark energy flew at the shape shifter.

Instinct made him turn into a cheetah and dodge. He raced a short distance from the emoticlone, trying to get time to consider the situation. _Why is she attacking? _He questioned himself, puzzled. He had no time to think as a giant hand reached out to grab him. He turned into a humming bird, and avoided the fingers. In a way it was all so familiar; he just hoped Knowledge wasn't planning to rip off an arm or two.

A barrier rose to surround him, and he changed into the beast. His claws barely managed to pierce it. He raced away again, avoiding blast after blast of energy. The hand grazed him the next time it reach out, and he felt a rib give. _Not good. She's serious. _He thought frantically. A second later one of the dark bolts of energy grazed him in the side, and he winced in pain; he kept moving.

"You couldn't have beat Rage." Knowledge concluded. "It's okay. The test is over."

Sometime inside him erupted in anger. "No it isn't." He stated, regaining his equilibrium. He'd been so busy wondering what was going on that he'd forgotten to fight. And the emoticlone's weakness was blaringly obvious. "It's not over until I say it is."

"You can't wi..." The emoticlone went quiet as the shape shifter charged her, fury in his eyes. Something in the air had changed, and she shivered.

He raced as a cheetah at the yellow-clad emoticlone. When the hand reached out for him, he evaded it. Like Rage, the movement of Knowledge's arm telegraphed her intent. She raised a shield, and he knew it would be nearly impenetrable. He growled and grinned. Moving at nearly eighty miles per hour, he leapt high into the air and changed into a two hundred ton blue whale. It was a scare tactic. If he hit the ground in that form, at that speed, it would tear him apart. But the weakness of Knowledge was that she didn't act on instinct like Rage did. She was a thinker, and needed time to ponder a situation. Staying at a distance, and planning her attacks was her style. He knew it well; that was the way Raven usually fought. But Knowledge was only partly Raven, and didn't have her ability to adapt. She _needed_ time to think. And if he didn't give it to her ... The shield vanished as the frightened emoticlone teleported away, and he reverted back to the form of a cheetah before he hit the ground.

Growling, he whirled, and leapt where he knew the emoticlone would appear. It was the best place to observe her previous position from. She would have automatically chose it without thinking. His slashing paw came within inches of her surprised face, before she faded back into the ground. He leapt away from the spot, and considered his next move. There were two possible locations where she might appear. He picked one at random, knowing thinking too much about it would give her time to think as well; and that was the one thing he couldn't afford. He had to attack with speed and ferocity, giving her no chance to react.

He'd guessed right, but had been too slow. She was already lifting her hands to rain bolts of dark energy at him. Having leapt, he had no chance to dodge. He turned into the whale once more, and absorbed the attack. It would have badly injured a cheetah, but the giant creature of the sea had enough mass that it only took a minor wound. He changed in mid-air to a Torkop, and lashed out with three arms, squirting acid at her, while using the other three to cushion his fall. He maintained the form for less than a second, as he changed into the cheetah again, and raced where he knew she would appear. His slashing paw created three red lines on her face, drawing blood.

She panicked, needing time to plan, but not getting it. _Had he gone berserk? _She wondered. _Was this now a fight to the death? _Dread overtook her, and she didn't know how to react. She needed time. In desperation she took to the air, thirty feet off the ground. It would give her time to think.

He growled as he saw her appear, and charged once more, refusing to give her time to think and plan. He leapt in the form of a cheetah, and without thinking changed into the shape of a Sarcosuchus, the forty-foot long crocodile. His jaws reached for her, and he saw the panic on her face. _Good. _Something inside him howled, knowing she was no long able to think, that fear was ruling her mind. It stripped her of the only weapon that made a difference, her cunning. So long as he could think, and she couldn't, he would win.

She fled to a position a hundred feet above the ground, sweating, filled with fear. _Surely he can't reach here. Not in those giant forms. _She thought. _I can just throw attacks at a distance._ She gulped, eyes filled with fear, reaching out to try to sense her foe.

He took to the air. The hand that slammed down towards him was evaded, and he continued his ascent; relentlessly pursuing his prey. The keen eyes of his Golden Eagle form followed every move of her hands, telling him where the dark bolts of energy would be even before she unleashed them. She probably though she was safe, that no creature of the air could threaten her; she was wrong.

She saw him approach, and tried to quell the panic. A barrier would block any form he could use up here. She was safe, but how could he evade every attack so quickly? And why was he so confident? Her panic refused to die.

Every bird knew the dynamics of a falling object. Fifteen feet from her he transformed into the giant crocodile once more, the change placing her within his mouth, which savagely bit down. He felt gravity take hold of him, but he was already a bird again, seeking his prey, flying wildly to evade any attacks. He could use such forms in the air, so long as he changed back into a creature of the air before he hit the ground. It was that simple. He would have grinned if he could.

_Impossible. _Her mind screamed, having reflexively teleported to safety just in time. There was drool from the gigantic lizard on her. _How can he use something like that in mid-air? _She gave up the fight, and teleported away to safety.

Not sensing his prey, he landed, and took human form again. "Guess the fight is over." He said, looking around. A few minutes late Knowledge appeared thirty feet from him, looking nervous.

Raven had watched the fight, stunned. She'd never seen the shape shifter fight like that. The pure savagery; the instantaneous transformation from shape to shape. The cheetah used for its incredible speed to maneuver with, the crocodile for its ferocious power to attack... That giant creature she was familiar; it was the same as in her visions. Thought that didn't tell her why he'd never used it before. It was ... She lacked words to describe it.

Knowledge looked at the thirty feet between her and the shape shifter, fully realizing he could attack across that distance faster than she could blink. She gulped, wondering if he could see the fear in her eyes. _Probably. _She admitted. Looking around, she noticed Raven was still inside the barrier she'd created, looking shocked. She let the dark energy of the shield fade, knowing she was about to be grilled by something she hoped wouldn't be quite as fear inspiring as the shape shifter. Clearly she'd underestimated him.

"What was that?" Raven growled, prowling towards her supposedly smart emoticlone.

"Nothing." Came the frightened reply.

"You placed a barrier around me. And you call it nothing? You attack my friend. And you call it nothing? Not good enough Knowledge." She reached out and dark energy closed around the yellow-clad emoticlone. "Talk." She ordered. "Now!"

"I just wanted to see if he could've actually beaten Rage." She replied, not resisting the dark magic binding her.

"You hurt him just for that?" The voice insisted there be a better explanation, or there would be hell to pay.

"No." She admitted. The bindings closed around her.

"Who help you make the barrier you placed around me?" The voice was suddenly calm.

"I coerced them." Knowledge admitted. "It was all my doing."

"Who?"

"Rude and Sloth." She replied. "None of the others agreed, and those two I had to force into it."

"Why did you attack him?"

"If Rage had defeated him, she could have used him. It would've explained how she was able to reach beyond the seal on her domain. I wanted to see if he was under her control?"

"And?"

"He isn't." The yellow-clad emoticlone admitted. "They're linked somehow, but she isn't controlling him. His emotions are his own, with nothing influencing them. Probably nothing more than a result of the fight forming some transitory connection."

"And that was it?"

"Yes." Came the meek reply that sounded a lot like Timid.

"Owe." Came a nearby voice. Looking they saw Brave was finally coming to.

"I'm sorry." The green-clad emoticlone said, looking at Raven. She looked pitiful.

Raven sighed, still annoyed at the way she'd lost a fight so easily. If this was the way things turned out, she was never bringing anyone else in here ever again.

"Hey Brave." Beast Boy said, walking over to help her stand up. He didn't like the way she looked. The downcast expression didn't suit her at all. That wasn't the Brave he knew.

She didn't take the hand. "I'm sorry." She said again, looking down.

He knelt down beside her. "If it helps any, Knowledge just got her behind kicked too."

The emoticlone looked at him. "She did?"

He nodded. "If I hadn't used that trick, I'm pretty sure you would've put up a better fight."

"Really?"

The shape shifter nodded again. "Really. Only she didn't play fair. She attacked without warning." He shrugged. "And even with that she was easy to beat. At least once I realized she was serious. Took me a while to figure that out." He held out his hand and she took it.

"And there's nothing wrong with falling for such a trick." He told her, smiling. "It was just a little sparring match. In a real fight I've seen the way you handle yourself. Trust me, you're pretty strong."

"Where?" She asked, still looking down, not meeting his eyes.

"Whenever Raven has to get close to a villain." He told her. "I admit it's not too often, but when she does she's amazing. Since you're her warrior side, that's you." He shrugged. "And it actually good to know you can fall for such a trick. It doesn't make you weak; it makes you human." He leaned close and whispered too her. "Too bad I didn't get to roll around on the ground with you a bit though." He stood back as she blushed.

"Besides." He said louder. "I did win, and I think I will leave it up to Knowledge to tell Raven what the bet was." He grinned. "I wonder if she will just kill me, or both of us." He looked at the yellow-clad emoticlone.

Knowledge looked down fearfully. She'd seen him spar before with Raven in the real world; he'd never won, and she hadn't expected him to here. She glanced nervously at Raven and sighed.

"What was the bet for?" Raven asked, frowning.

"Hrm. Well." Knowledge gulped. She felt the bindings around he become tighter, painfully so. "A kiss." She managed to whisper. The bindings faded.

"A what?" Raven asked, looking stunned. She looked between Beast Boy and Knowledge, wondering who to kill first. She most definitely was _never_ bringing anyone in here ever again.

"A kiss." Knowledge said again, not meeting Raven's eyes, wondering if she was about to die. Or maybe be cast in a prison like Rage. She gulped. Maybe even in the same prison as Rage. She recalled what the shape shifter had said, that the red-clad emoticlone had ripped one of his arms off. She gulped again, fear stricken.

"A what?" Asked the stunned girl again. She turned to look at Beast Boy. One would never have been able to tell she usually wore a stoic expression. Maybe the reason he wasn't in some of the visions she'd had was because she killed him here and now.

He pushed the fear to one side. "Given it might soon be the end of the world, I thought I would bet big. Either I win and you kill me, or the end of the world gets me. Either way no loss. But ..." He shrugged.

"I'm never bringing you in here again." She told him. "Or anyone for that matter." Her voice calmed, and she stared at the shape shifter, thinking. Turning, she focused her gaze on the sky, frowning. Vaguely she heard him say it was just a silly bet, that she didn't have to fulfill it. She knew that; he would never force her to do anything she didn't want to. That brought guilt, as she recalled not speaking up when Robin set guidelines for breakfast. _Stupid of me. _She muttered to herself.

She sighed. _Would it be so bad? _She wondered. _If I kiss Robin, it'll hurt Starfire. That's not going to happen. Cyborg is more like an older brother. And no one on Azarath wanted to kiss a half demon girl destined to destroy their world. _Her frowned deepened. _I would be kissing someone who likes me, who knows me. It could be worse. A lot worse._

"I'm curious" She said, turning around. "It's not as if I will ever get another chance. Outside of here my powers might run wild. And since I'm never bringing anyone in here again, this is my last chance; even assuming the world doesn't end."

Beast Boy blinked, realizing she'd agreed to it. He'd never expected her to actually go forward with it, and was still stunned when she walked up to him.

She leaned forward, and their lips met. _Sort of nice. _She thought. His arms automatically closed around her, and she felt good, really good. The kiss continued. _Since it's my first, and last, might as well make it count. _She decided. She nearly giggled when she felt his surprise, as she opened her mouth, and probed with her tongue. After a while she reluctantly pulled back, out of breath, eyes glazed over. _Definitely nice._ She mused happily to herself, smiling.

Looking around, she noticed Brave and Knowledge had silly looks on their faces. They would've felt everything she had. Beast Boy had a similar silly grin. She'd felt what he had, and it had been incredible. Whether it was just a crush, or love, she didn't know. But he really cared for her. He was the perfect person for a first kiss. She knew he would treasure the moment as much as she would. Suppressing her smile, she put on her usual stoic look. "Time to get out of here before something else happens." She clearly stated, pulling the shape shifter with her towards the forbidden door. She took a quick glance behind her. "And don't think this is over with Knowledge." She growled.

When they'd gone Brave raise her hand and spoke. "Okay, I wanna change my vote from Robin to BB." She said dreamily.

"Me too." Said Love, from somewhere. She'd remained hidden while Raven was there.

"Hrm." Knowledge said, recalling the two hundred ton blue whale flying through the air at her. She never wanted to see that again. Or the jaws of a giant crocodile closing around her. Cringing, she tried to wipe its drool from her cloak. "I think I'll vote for celibacy." She said. "Still, it was nice so ..." She sighed. "Okay, I'll stick with BB, and just see if Raven will get me therapy."

* * *

End of Chapter.

Just a note: Because he can defeat the different emoticlones doesn't necessarily mean he can defeat Raven in a real fight. She would be a combination of those. She would have Knowledge's smarts, along with the ability of Brave and Rage to react quickly. She would be a lot more powerful than any single one of them.

All that, and the day has just begun.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	10. Chapter 10

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Immediately following the last chapter._

* * *

_**The Morning Continues,... Practice,... The Answer,... Gaining the Shape,... The Battle,...**_

"What was that animal?" Raven immediately asked, once they'd emerged from the mirror and were back in her room. She reached out and held him still. Focusing, she worked on healing his broken rib and bruised shoulder.

"Animal?" The shape shifter feigned innocence. He rubbed his shoulder. "Thanks." He added, beaming a smile at her.

"Don't pretend you don't know which one I'm talking about." She stated impassively, finding herself staring over his shoulder instead of meeting his eyes. They were way too close to his lips, and she found herself looking at them, recalling that ... experiment. _That's what I will call it. _She decided. _An experiment. Nothing more, nothing less. _She gulped, recalling what the experiment had been. "Well?" She asked, blushing with her facade of emotionlessness severely cracked.

Beast Boy sighed. "It's a Sarcosuchus." He replied. "A dinosaur that, like most dinosaurs, died off a long time ago. I only got the shape recently. It's basically just a giant crocodile."

"Why don't you use it? You could beat Cyborg easily with that." The violet-haired girl's gaze finally met his eyes. Her cheeks were still bright red.

"If I need to I will, but I would rather not for now. And I would prefer you not mention it to anyone." His voice held a begging tone that he hated. In his mind he saw visions of Jinx sending curse after curse at him. He shuddered.

Raven frowned. "Why?"

"It's a secret." He insisted.

"You used it there." The violet-haired girl pointed out.

"I know, and it was stupid of me. I didn't need the shape to beat her, though it made it a lot easier."

"I guess you can beat Rage after all." She admitted, backing off. "Sorry for doubting you."

"I admit I would've too in your place. No hard feelings over that." He smiled. "And if I need to I will use that form, I just don't want to reveal it yet."

"Okay." She replied apathetically, as if it didn't matter. He smiled at the response, and her stomach got all fluttery. She knew her face was a bright red. Desperately, she searched for something to say, and realized she'd somehow forgotten it would soon be the end of the world. "I need to talk to the team about Trigon." She said impassively.

"Yeah. They're probably finished breakfast by now." He replied, smile fading. "Should just call a general meeting."

She nodded, heart still racing.

* * *

To their surprise, Robin took the news in stride. He didn't get the usual wild look in his eyes at Slade's name, nor did he obsessively dwell on the villain. Instead he simply said they would get in one last practice session, and then work on fortifications. He insisted it would take that long for him to plan the defenses, so they might as well spar in the meantime.

* * *

On the obstacle course Beast Boy naturally paired with Cyborg. To his surprise Raven walked over.

"Spar with me?" She asked, wanting to see how well he did against her rather than one of the emoticlones.

"Hrm." He looked at her, wondering if he could get her to repeat the bet. Somehow he doubted it.

"No." She replied blankly, seeing the look.

The shape shifter sighed, trying to think of a way to convince her.

"No." She insisted, blushing. She took a quick glance at Cyborg, and saw him staring at her with obvious curiosity. She turned and walked away, cheeks red.

The shape shifter tried to wipe the smile off his face.

"What was that about?" Cyborg asked

"Hrm. Ready?" Beast Boy asked, ignoring the question, a slight smile on his face.

"Yeah." The cybernetic teen replied with a shrug, still looking puzzled.

Beast Boy shifted into a cheetah, and rested his paw against a five pound stone. Twisting around, he awkwardly sent it flying. While he couldn't put his whole body into it like a human could, the large cat was _much_ faster and stronger. It hurled towards his foe at a hundred and twenty miles per hour, covering the distance in around one sixth of a second; it shattered against his opponent's titanium skin. He'd worked the move so it took him a step closer to the cybernetic teen.

Another stone hurled forth, and his foe tried to avoid it. With the Maximum-7 chip working, he did so with ease. But in the process his couldn't aim his cannon. Hit or missed, it worked as the shape shifter had hoped. A hit would throw the teen's aim off with the force of the impact; a miss meant he didn't have time to aim. Each new stone closed the distance, giving his foe less time to react. In the meantime, the process of throwing the stones had him whirling around in painful looking contortions that would have made him a difficult target even to an undistracted Cyborg.

Twelve feet from his target, he leapt, and immediately transformed into a Python. Before his foe could hope to react, he was wrapped around him. Turning into a Torkop, he aimed three of his tentacles at the boy's head. The match was over.

They repeated it five times. The shape shifter won all five of the matches.

"I definitely need a new strategy." The cybernetic teen admitted. "Guess I've gotten too use to it being like shooting fish in a barrel." He grinned.

"My poor spine." Groaned Beast Boy, who was stretching, and trying to work out the kinks.

"You know, there's a new game out." Cyborg hesitantly spoke.

The shape shifter looked up at him, recalling it'd been a long long time since the two of them had played video games. "What is it?" He asked.

"It's a new version of Dungeon and Dragons. The graphic are out of this world."

Beast Boy's eyes slowly blinked. "Stupid stupid stupid stupid..." He muttered to himself, furious at not thinking of the obvious before.

"Hrm." Cyborg slowly backed off.

"How about we play sometime?" The shape shifter suggested. "Just thought of something. Gotta go." He shifted into his cheetah form, and raced off. In seconds he was inside the tower, sitting down at the main computer system. _Ask anyone if unicorns are real, and what answer will you get? _He silently asked himself. _No, of course. Ask anyone if dragons exist, and what answer will you get? _He frowned, punching at the keys. _No, of course. _He answered his own question. _Only dragons do exist. No clue if unicorns do, but there's definitely one dragon around. Not all creature are real. Then what was Malchior?_ He tapped at more keys. _Dragons aren't real? There's no record of them outside of mythology. No fossils of them have ever been dug up, and if they'd existed there would've been. They would've been a dominant predator. _That returned him to Malchior, he was a creature that couldn't be real.

He sat back, still thinking. He wasn't sure if that was the answer to the riddle, but it was the only thing he could think of.

The Titans tried to keep track of the villains they knew about, and Malchior, being a dragon, was pretty easy to track. He was in Spark City, just a few hundred miles away. The screen in front of the Titan even gave his general location in that city. The shape shifter left the tower, and took to the air. Looking back, he thought of the coming battle, but according to the visions that wouldn't be until it started to get dark. He had plenty of time, and they didn't need his help with the fortifications. Actually, given his ineptitude with mechanical stuff, it would be better if he wasn't there. He turned towards his goal, and set a reasonable pace. Dropping from exhaustion halfway there just wouldn't do.

* * *

Three hours later, only slightly winded, Beast Boy circled above the park that occupied the central section of Spark City. Shifting form, he peered down with the eyes of a Golden Eagle. The dragon was a large creature, and would be the only thing of its size in the park; it would be easy to spot. He was proven right when a blast of fire streaked up from the ground. With the tip of his left wing slightly singed, he aimed for location it'd come from.

"What's the little doggy doing here?" The ancient dragon spoke.

_So large. _Gulped Beast Boy. "Why do people always call me little doggy?" He asked. "It's not the only animal I can change into."

"Hrm. Would you mind changing into one now? I'm in the mood for a taste of roasted dog." Came the thunderous reply.

"I prefer not to." The shape shifter answered. _Just how am I going to fight that? _He wondered. It was obviously too late to just try to sneak up on it.

"I guess I'll just have to settle for roasted boy then."

Another blast of fire came at him, forcing him to change into a cheetah and run. Trying to get close as an amoeba, the shape shifter noted, was out since the threat of being roasted made it suicidal. He waited for the next attack, wondering what to do. It came, a continuous stream of fire that seemed to never stop. He ran, and dodged, twisting and turning. Still it singed his fur and left burns. He struggled to his feet. He'd been here for ten seconds, and already he was badly hurt. _Not good. _He solemnly told himself.

"Amusing." The dragon roared. A thunderous laugh rumbled from its massive throat, and echoed throughout the park.

He stared up at the forty-foot creature. The only animal form he had to match that size was the giant crocodile, but it would be vastly outmatched. The dragon had teeth and claws, along with a tail and the ability to breathe fire. The only thing switching to that form would do would be to make sure that Malchior didn't go hungry for the next few days. Assuming he liked crocodile meat that is.

"Did you come here just to die?" The vast creature asked, peering down at its prey.

"That wasn't my plan. Though it seems like I should've worked on it a bit more." The shape shifter admitted, frantically trying to come up with a strategy. More fire came at him, and he ran once more. The cheetah was out. He was tired, and that form didn't have much endurance. He became a greyhound and raced through the trees, which caught fire and exploded around him. When the onslaught stopped, he rested, panting. He'd taken more burns, and had been hit by several tree fragment. _Hopeless? _He wondered.

_"Hrumph. You didn't give up even when I collapsed a lung and ripped one of your arms off." _A dark voice echoed angrily in his mind.

_So she is able to speak to me somehow. _He mused, staring warily up at the dragon, who was grinning down at him. His breath under control again, he prepared to dodge should he need to.

"Why are you here? You must've known you would die?"

Each word was like an explosion that pounded into his skull. It spoke of infinite power, and absolute assurance. _Not real. _The shape shifter realized. _He wasn't that loud when we fought him at the tower. Telepathy. _The answer came to him. Either way it didn't matter. He was still going to end up as a dragon snack. He blinked, and slowly grinned.

His thoughts were interrupted as the dragon, playing, sent more fire at him. He raced through more foliage, hoping for a chance to put his plan in action. He needed to get close, and be still in one piece. A fiery wind beat down upon him. To track him, Malchior had taken to the air. He ran, and eventually the fiery onslaught ceased. He fell to the ground, covered in burns.

"Little doggy finished playing?" The voice rumbled.

He struggled to his feet just in time, as the place he'd been lying in was hit by a blast of the dragon's breath. The shape shifter struggled to stay upright, but fell back down.

"Guess so." The dragon mused in its booming voice. It stepped over its fallen play toy and grinned. Reaching down, he pinned the Titan with one of its hands. "I'll just cook you a bit more before I have my midday snack." It mused, and licking its lips, the immense creature lowered its head.

Beast Boy let his hand rest briefly on the dragon's. It was all he needed. The transformation came instantaneously. One second he was the broken form of a human boy, the next he was a twelve-foot dragon that was exhaling its fiery breath up at its foe. Not caring to match the larger dragon blow for blow, he stuck carefully, aiming for the eyes. When the outpouring of fire stopped, he saw the attack had worked; his opponent could no longer see.

Malchior, stunned, tried to leap back. The shape shifter was faster. He became the giant forty-foot crocodile, and lunged with the speed its species was known for. His teeth caught the evil dragon's wing, and he bite down, crushing it. He let go, and swung with his tail. It sent his foe flying. Moving, he attached once again, badly hurting the other wing. Despite the shape shifter's vicious attacks, the blind dragon struck back, raining fire across his already scorched flesh.

Beast Boy moved away from his foe. He had what he'd come for, and there was no time to finish the fight; to defeat Malchior, and call someone to drag the villain off to prison. He had to get back to the tower. Shifting into the form of a White-throated Needletail, he tried to take to the air. It was a miserable attempt; birds needed feathers to fly, and his had been all burned off, along with a good chunk of skin. He collapsed back to the ground. _Not good. _He told himself. By his estimate it must be near twelve noon.

His body automatically transformed to a simpler shape, and he didn't try to stop it. He needed to think, and could do that just as well as a worm as he could as a human. In the meantime some of the damage would heal. Feeling disgust, he allowed the invertebrate to feast on the dirt around it, needing the energy to mend some of the damage. All the while he was aware of the time passing; the danger Raven and his friends were in. Then there was Malchior who, with his arcane knowledge, would swiftly heal his own wounds. He couldn't afford to stick around for long.

An hour later he squirmed out of the dirt, and took the form of a greyhound. He moved through the park at a moderate pace, unable to push himself any faster. The idea of flying in the form of a dragon came to him, but he doubted he had the stamina. Knowing the general layout of the city from the map that had shown Malchior's location, he found a bus terminal. People steered clear of the badly burnt dog that trudged through the city. He figured a few would've called an animal shelter, but he didn't stick around to find out for sure. Seeing the next bus wouldn't depart for another hour he returned to the form of a worm, trying to heal more of the damage. He ate more dirt.

* * *

"Has anyone seen Beast Boy?" Robin asked.

"Not since practice this morning." Cyborg answered, not looking up from the device he was working on. "He just jumped up and rushed off. Was weird."

"Haven't seen him since then either." Raven intoned, forcing herself to concentrate. She was building a wall, using her dark magic to lift massive blocks of stone.

"Hrm." Robin sighed. "How much time you figure we have left?"

Raven looked at the sky, comparing it to her visions. "Not much." The violet-haired girl replied. The sky looked pretty much the same as it had in her visions. If this was the night, the attack could come at any second. Briefly she recalled Beast Boy wasn't in some of the premonitions. _Maybe he'll survive this. _She mused, wondering where he was. Knowing only something serious could've keep him away, a worried frown tugged at her lips. She pushed the thought one side, and lifted another block of stone. A voice disrupted her concentration, and it slipped to the ground.

The rumble seemed to come from a hundred throats of stone, and echoed over the whole island. It spoke the prophecy.

"_**The Gem was born of evil's fire,**_

_** The Gem shall be his portal,**_

_** He comes to claim, he comes to sire,**_

_** The end of all things mortal**__!"_

The violet-haired girl shuddered upon hearing those words. "Guess time is up." She intone apathetically. It was as in her visions. Slade led an army of two hundred golems that seemed to burn with fire. Each stood around six foot tall, with black showing through their aura of flames. She guessed that meant the magical creatures were formed from some sort of black stone.

"Slade." Robin yelled. "You're working for Trigon again."

"Not my choice Robin." The psychotic villain moved his mask aside for a second, showing that nothing but bones lay beneath. "It seems he didn't take too kindly to my deciding to take back what was rightfully mine."

They all stared at the gruesome display.

"I have no choice. Either I obey him, or I face a fate much worse than death." Slade spoke again. "Surrender the Gem, and then flee this world is my suggestion."

"That will never happen." Their leader replied.

"Then you'll be turned to stone when he opens the portal."

"How can he do that?" Raven demanded. "The time is past. His chance is gone."

"I wish that were so. But he's not a fool. The alignment of stars needed for the ceremony is not an uncommon one. Should he fail now, there will always be other chances. And should you die before that, he can always sire another Gem."

She gulped, and stepped back. Her birthday had only marked the time when she would possess the power needed to create the portal. It'd had nothing to do with the alignment of the stars. The danger she posed to the whole universe would never end. And even if she died, another would take her place.

"He'll never get his hands on Raven." Robin spoke with confidence. "He'll never escape his prison."

"How I wish that were so. But you forget, he's immortal, and will exist long after you're dust. Or stone. As the case may be." Slade pointed, and the army marched forward.

Her powers had allowed her to create a massive barricade of stone, but the golems pressed forward and it bulged inward. She lifted her hands, and coated the wall with her dark powers, hoping to make it last longer.

The battle began. Starfire took to the air, and cast down starbolt after starbolt. Robin stood fearlessly on the wall, and tossed exploding disc after exploding disc. Cyborg had made a variety of devices, and those he tossed at the burning army. The results were anticlimactic. The golems seemed to be resistant to starbolts. One or two fell, but only after Starfire had rained a massive number of the energy bolts at them. The exploding discs did nothing, not even slowing them down. Cyborg's array of devices were the most interesting, but just as ineffective.

Several tanks of liquid nitrogen exploded amongst the army. The suddenly cold air slowed them, but only for a second. That'd been one of their hopes. That the cold would cancel the fire, and destroy the golems en mass. It was obviously a failure.

Massive pumps drew water from the ocean, and a cloud of steam roiled up above the magical creatures as it poured on them. Through the fog of steam little could be seen, but when it died down the array of fiery soldiers remained before them. It wasn't used again since it blocked their vision, including Starfire's, who was the only one to have killed a single golem yet.

Dividing her attention, Raven tried to cast a spell while still reinforcing the wall. "Gelidas Aqualonia Ego Duco Te Sufflabo." She chanted, and the icy cold of the northern winds lashed down at the fiery army. For a second the flames diminished, and then rose back to their full power as the spell ended.

"Gelides Aqua De Aquilonis Oceanus Te Ego Conurio." The violet-haired girl chanted, and the skies poured forth the icy cold waters of the northern oceans. Steam rose from the army once more; when it cleared, they still stood.

Focusing, she lifted another block of stone, and slammed it down on one of the golems. When she lifted it, the blazing creature stood back up. The violet-haired girl frowned, feeling the pressure against the wall. Reach down with her dark magic, she grabbed two of them, and toss them aside. Briefly it lessened the strain of holding the fortifications, though the thrown soldiers stood back up unharmed. For lack of anything better to do, she repeated the process.

Cyborg fired his cannon time and time again. The ground beneath the golems was tore up, but they still struggled onward, seemingly immune to the ferocious blasts of the weapon.

Robin tried electric discs, and even discs with knockout gas. Nothing was effective.

Starfire's starbolts did take a toll on the golems, but it still took her a full minute of concentrated fire to stop each one.

The battle proceeded, and an hour passed. Behind it all Slade stood watching. He lifted his hand, and fire blasted forth, striking the barricade. It wiped aside Raven's dark magic, and pounded against the stone; it collapsed. "Trigon would be displeased if I lost too many of his warriors on this task." He simply said, implying he wouldn't care if they were all lost.

Raven closed her eyes, and just focused on maintaining a barrier where the wall had fallen. She felt the strain increase, and lost all track of everything else, including how the battle was progressing.

* * *

The soil in which the shape shifter rested was moist, implying it had rained recently. That was fortunate since it meant he could replenish the fluid he was losing. Slowly the hour passed, and the gaps in his flesh sealed enough that he was no longer in danger of dehydration. He peered out of the hole he'd made in the dirt, and saw the bus approach. Turning into a mouse, he scampered aboard, and found a safe place to return to his worm form.

More time passed, and he felt the dread inside him grow. Unable to fly, the bus was the best he could do. As it made stop after stop, slowing its process towards his destination, hours passed. To the frantic shape shifter, time seemed to slow.

_"Hurry." _A dark voice spoke, and he switched back to his human form. He then became a falcon, that had just enough feathers to escape through an open window. Switching to the form a dragon, he heeded the demonic warning. Painfully, his wings grabbed the air. He'd healed some, but not enough. Each beat of the enormous wings was a strain, and the agony of the effort tore at him.

* * *

Another hour had passed, and the battle was nearly over. Cyborg's cannon had overheated. Robin had run out of the useless discs. Starfire had taken a grazing blow when Slade had tossed a bolt of fire at her. The girl's arm was badly burned, and she could no longer throw starbolts. Even if she hadn't been injured, weariness would have taken its toll. For the last twenty minutes Raven had stood alone, holding the barrier and waiting for the inevitable; not flinching.

"Time is up." Slade spoke. "He grows impatient." The psychotic killer's blast of magical fire slammed against the barrier, and it cracked. Another finished it.

The violet-haired girl raised her head, and knew which vision it was. The one where she died, though Knowledge had claimed it might be otherwise. She waited for the end, throwing all her effort into creating another barrier. The incoming bolt of fiery magical energy blasted through it, aimed directly at her. Before it struck, something surrounded her. She could feel the fire on the other side as if it were alive, screaming in fury to burn through to her. It faded. Then above her something erupted in rage, and blasted forth fire of its own.

He'd seen the battle from the sky, and the violet-haired girl who'd been standing, holding the fiery army back. Before, she'd given in to her destiny; she'd surrendered to Trigon. That wasn't the person who stood below, watching as death approached her, not flinching as she poured her soul into creating a barrier to protect her friends. His wings closed around her just in time. They burned as the fire embraced them, attempting to turn them to ash. But they held. Sometimes hatred is justified. Sometime rage is right. Sometime anger is just. He spat forth fire that blazed an eye scorching white. Where it passed, the golems exploded. And when it reached Slade the psychotic monster disappeared from sight.

Whatever it was that had surrounded her vanished, along with the rage it had cast forth. Instead arms held her. She knew who it was even before she turned around.

"Too close." The shape shifter smiled wearily. "If you know any fire spells, now would be a good time to use them." His eyes lifted and looked behind her.

She turned back to face the still approaching army. "They're already on fire." She replied.

"I know. Too much." He struggled to find the right words. "Like a car engine. The fire inside burns hot and drives it. But too much heat isn't too good. Add just a little more, and they'll break."

"Oh." She replied. "That explains why Starfire's starbolts worked. Some of that energy was heat." The half demon raised her hands, her violet eyes blazing. "Telam De Inferus Aduro Ego Te Coniuro." She chanted, and fire blazed forth, creating a web between a dozen of the fiery golems. When it touched them, they exploded. She repeated the words again and again. Then she collapsed. The shape shifter collapsed beside her.

* * *

End of Chapter.

No idea if there's an actual place called Spark City. In the story it's just a name I thought of.

Malchior, the dragon Raven conjured out of a book.

Why is Beast Boy only twelve foot tall as a dragon versus Malchior's forty feet? Wouldn't want to make the shape too powerful. It does give him an awesome long range attack, but if Malchior can be beat, then so can Beast Boy. Probably more on that shape in the next chapter.

Why wouldn't Raven normally use those type of spells. Fire burns, and she wouldn't normally try to kill anyone. Her own dark magic would also probably feel more natural to her.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	11. Chapter 11

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to comments:_

_No fight scenes this chapter. Think those of the last two should be sufficient without needing one here. Just a lot of talking, and some planning._

_There are a few more chapters planned. I had though the story would be at most 40k words, but it seems I was wrong; as usual._

_Given he was fighting a foe that could see his every move, Robin probably did quite well. He allocated his team's resources wisely, and allowed them to do their own thing. Raven to build the fortifications with her magic, Cyborg to devise gadgets. I'm sure he and Starfire woud've been at work too. Only Beast Boy, who is totally inept at mechanical stuff would have been excluded_.

_Can't say for sure, but I don't think Slade will be in any more scenes. Still Trigon has a whole dimension from which to gather minions. He will probably try again._

_Time: The next morning._

* * *

_**Waking Up,... Planning,... The New Form,... A New Bet,...**_

Though the violet-haired girl woke from a night of dreamless sleep, it was only grudgingly that she opened her eyes, and peered around. _The clinic. _She realized, as she recalled the previous night. It seemed the world had once more not come to an end at Trigon's decree. A brief smile crossed her lips as she sat up, and looked at the other two cots in the room. One held Beast Boy, while the other held Starfire. Cyborg was sitting on a chair near the door, studying the shape shifter.

"Morning." The cybernetic teen said, turning his eyes towards her.

"Morning." She replied. "Or evening." She added, looking at the clock. It was well past twelve.

"How're you feeling?"

"Okay." She intoned. "A bit drained though." She stood up, feeling a bit dizzy, and made her way to Beast Boy's bed. If memory served her right, he'd been pretty badly hurt the night before. Pulling back the blankets she saw a number of scars, but the wounds for the most part were gone.

"Strangest thing." Cyborg said, returning his gaze towards the green-skinned Titan. "We brought him into the clinic last night pretty badly banged up." He paused. "Heck, worse than that." He added with a shrug. "During the night he disappears from the bed, and several hours later he's back pretty much healed up."

"I'll remove the scars later." Raven replied, drawing the blankets back up around the sleeping boy.

"You don't seem surprised." The cybernetic teen commented.

"Hrm." She'd forgotten they didn't know he could change shape and heal fast. He was almost as secretive about his past as she was about hers. "I'm sure he'll explain when he wakes up." She replied, not sure what he would want to tell them. As a team they might trust each other, but that didn't mean they wanted others digging into their past.

She walked over to the cot that held the orange-skinned alien. Her arm was nearly destroyed below the elbow. "Pretty bad." Raven commented.

"Glorious morning friend Raven." Starfire smiled up from the bed.

"Sorry if I woke you."

"I was already awake. As wonderful as the day is, I'm in too much pain to sleep." The alien smiled with a small shrug, careful not to move her arm.

"Let's see what we can do about that." The violet-haired girl let a tiny smile pull at the sides of her mouth. It seemed few things could disrupt Starfire's perpetually good mood; not even the near loss of her arm. Reaching out, she infused a bit of her soul with the broken limb, which began to glow. The damage was considerable, and she was still pretty drained. The bones mended at her command, though she didn't fully heal them, trying to conserve energy. The blood vessels knitted back together, as did the tendons. The skin also partially healed. It would stop the pain, and she could finish the process when she'd gained more strength.

"Don't use it." Raven instructed the girl. It's only healed enough so it doesn't cause too much pain. She staggered a little, and sat down beside the bed.

"Are you okay friend Raven?" The concerned girl reached out to steady her friend.

"I'm fine." She intoned, standing up, and making her way back to her cot. Her own bed would have been preferable, but unless someone carried her that wasn't going to happen. She gave a small sigh as she sank down on it.

"What happened last night?" Cyborg asked. "We thought we were goners until those burning rock piles just started exploding.

"Trigon played a trick." Raven replied, eyes closed. "A golem infused with fire should be resistant to fire. All the magic I know of claims that's the case, so I never looked at using it as a weapon against them. But that was meant to mislead us."

"So despite being on fire, fire was their weak spot."

"Yeah. They were burning so hot nothing else could have touched them, but it also meant they were at the breaking point. I just made things a little hotter for them. Beast Boy compared it to a car engine."

"Oh." The cybernetic teen immediately understood the analogy. "So he showed up?"

"Didn't you see?"

"No. I was trying to get this to work." He held up his arm that contained the sonic cannon. "Seems the golems weren't the only thing that overheated. It's circuits are fried. And Robin was attending to Starfire. He didn't see him arrive either."

"Was pretty sure I was going to die. Then he was there, shielding me. He was the one who suggested fire." She settled back further on the cot, eyes still closed. "And don't ask me. I don't know where he was either."

"Oh."

"I'm going to question him on it." She stated. "But I'm sure he had a good reason. And even if was at the last second, he still played a deciding role in the fight. Be glad he did show up." _And just how did he manage to use fire? _She wondered to herself. "Any sign of Slade?" She asked.

"Sort of. There are parts of his suit on the ground, burned. There are some bone fragments as well. Was that your doing?"

"No. I think Beast Boy handled him." Raven intoned. "Once again, don't ask how."

"I'm sorry." Came a muffled voice from Beast Boy's cot. He knew the others were angry, and rightly so. He'd been missing from the fight. It was an act of betrayal that would take a long time to mend.

"So where were you." Raven asked, not sounding at all angry. She'd felt his emotions when he'd closed his arms around her, protecting her. There'd been his all-encompassing need to protect her, regardless of the cost to himself. And the equally all-encompassing wrath directed towards those who would harm her. She'd felt his emotions before, had known he liked her, but those had her awed. She poked a hand from beneath the sheet and looked at it, wondering how he could care for a half-demon like that. Someone sired by evil, and destined to bring ruin to the world.

"I thought I had plenty of time to get back, but I got hurt and couldn't fly. Ended up taking the bus." The shape shifter evaded the question, wondering how Malchior's name would affect the violet-haired girl.

"So where were you?" Cyborg asked, not quite as calmly. "And if you knew fire would hurt them, why not tell us before you left."

"I didn't know that when I left. As for where I was at, I was getting a new shape." He dragged himself from the cot and crouched down beside it, keeping his head low. The clinic was barely large enough for him to briefly show the new form that was at his command. The green-skinned Titan just manged to crawl back in bed, and draw the sheets back up.

"What's that?" Cyborg asked, shocked.

"You went to see Malchior, didn't you?" Raven intoned, recognizing the form as an adolescent dragon.

"Yeah. For some reason, don't ask why, I knew this shape would help. And it did. When I hit the golems with fire, they just exploded. That's what showed me how to kill them. Without it I would've tried some other form that would've just got me killed."

"How did you manage to get close enough to him?" The violet-haired girl wondered out loud.

A small laugh, void of humor, came from the cot. "Though I could sneak up on him. I ended up letting myself get burned half to death, so he would try to gobble me down as a midday snack. Not something on my list of top ten things to repeat."

"Ouch." Raven intoned.

"Yeah." Came the muffled reply. The shape shifter looked over at the violet-haired girl. "How're you and Starfire doing?"

"I am doing fine, friend Beast Boy." Starfire spoke happily.

"I'm okay too." Raven replied. "Tomorrow I'll fix those scars for you."

"Thanks. I'll appreciate that." Beast Boy sighed. "Now if only I could get the taste of dirt out of my mouth."

"Dirt?" Asked Cyborg.

"Yeah." The form under the sheets shuddered. "I hate to think what was in it."

"Why were you eating dirt?" The cybernetic teen insisted on an answer.

"The simpler the organism, the fast it can heal. I was a worm for a while."

"Oh."

"How're the premonitions now?" Beast Boy asked, looking across at Raven again.

"Less intense, but we're not safe yet." The violet-haired girl intoned. "I need to talk to Knowledge, but if I see her right now I might kill her. I'm still not too pleased with that stunt she pulled."

"Stunt?" Cyborg asked, looking puzzled.

"Long story." Raven answered, not wanting to explain.

"I'll need someone to test the dragon out on." Beast Boy pointed out.

"I'll take that under consideration." Raven smiled slightly. "But don't expect me to make any bets on it."

"Oh." The green-skinned teen sighed, and slumped further down in the bed, wondering if he could get Knowledge help him convince her.

"Bets?" Cyborg asked, still looking puzzled.

"Long story." Raven replied, still not wanting to explain, her cheeks turning red. She pulled the sheets up higher until only her hair showed. "I'm going to try to nap." The violet-haired girl added.

"Me too." Beast Boy said, yawning. He'd spent most of the night awake healing. Tired didn't begin to explain how he felt.

"I'm going to find Robin." Starfire said, getting up. "Sleep well friend Raven and friend Beast Boy."

"Careful of that arm." Raven intoned before realizing the girl was already gone.

* * *

Four hours later all five Titans were in the tower's meeting room, holding a conference.

"Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?" Robin demanded, frowning at the shape shifter.

Beast Boy considered his answer, wondering how much to explain. "The problem with any plans we make is that Trigon sees all." He pointed out.

"That's something I've been thinking about." Raven replied apathetically. "He must've been watching us even as we were discussing the fortifications, and been altering his plans to counter them. It's hard to beat someone when they can see your every move. But you told no one what you were going to do, and by the time it became obvious to him it must've been too late. His army would've been prepared and his only chance was to try with what he had."

"Yeah." The shape shifter sighed. "The only private spot we have is the insides of our minds. Anything else and he can see, or hear for that matter." He turned to look at Robin. "I've already apologized, but what's my punishment."

Their leader sat thinking. "I understand the reasoning." He admitted. "But we can't act as a team if we don't know what each other is up to. Double chores for a month."

"Okay."

"Didn't friend Beast Boy provide great help in our battle?" Starfire asked.

"He did. Which is why he's getting off so lightly." Robin replied.

"It's fair, Starfire." Beast Boy smiled at her. "There're many things over the last few months I would consider unfair, but this isn't one of them."

"Oh." The orange-skinned alien frowned, but accepted his word.

"Is Trigon still in his prison dimension?" Cyborg asked.

"He is." Raven assured them. "But that doesn't mean he can't affect things outside of it. At least not so long as he got worshippers. Remember, he was in that prison when he was summoned to conceive me." She frowned at the thought. "There must still be those who offer him sacrifices and follow his commands. I'm not sure what can be done about them."

"No way to find them?" Beast Boy asked.

"No." The violet-haired girl replied. "They would be just ordinary people, only once in a while they would worship the manifestation of evil. There would be nothing to make them stand out. And across all the worlds in this dimension there could be millions of them. Or, more probably, billions."

"So no way to close his connection to this dimension?" Robin asked.

"Not that I can think of." She admitted. "Not so long as he got followers."

Beast Boy frowned. "And right now he must be planning another attack to get Raven."

"Probably." She intoned, able to feel the emotions radiating from him. They were scary in their intensity, but at the same time comforting.

"Is it everything he sees and hears, or just what people see and hear?" The shape shifter asked.

"Just what people see and hear." Raven informed him. "Everyone has some evil in them, and that evil connects them to him. Us included."

Robin closed his eyes. "Just how do we defend against something like that?" He asked.

"You probably can't." Beast Boy admitted. "But maybe you can run from it. At least for a short time."

"How?" The violet-haired girl asked, intensely interested.

"If people don't see it, or hear it, then he won't either. Right? Well, make your movements random. Find a starship, use a random number generator to set the course, and repeat each day. Neither you nor anyone else would know where you're at. He wouldn't be able to track you. And if he did, he would only have a day to gather his forces and plan an attack. Automatically run if anything shows up."

"Hrm." Mused Raven.

"Of course we don't have a starship other than the T-ship." Beast Boy added with a shrug. "And that's not suitable for a person to live in for very long. I figure an hour at the most, at least until Cyborg installs some bathroom facilities." He tossed a small grin her way.

"However if I find a suitable ship, it would be worth considering." Raven intoned, staring directly ahead. _It would be hard to leave everyone behind. _She silently mused. _Life aboard a ship for the rest of my days would be lonely. And it would only buy time; there would be another Gem._

"Will there be more golems?" Robin asked.

"Probably." The violet-haired girl intoned. "But they might not have the same weakness. I'm guessing he saw our plans, and noticed we weren't including fire weapons in them. He would've then modified his own so that his army was only vulnerable to them. It was my fault for not realizing this."

"And if we destroyed the temple?" Their leader asked.

"It's the best place for the ceremony, but it's not necessary." Came the apathetic response. "I'm sure there're other temples. And if not, then one could be built."

Robin stared at the ceiling. "So basically we're faced with an enemy who knows our every move. But whose moves we can't predict until they happen." He looked at Raven. "Though your premonitions might give us some sort of warning."

The violet-haired girl frowned. We're linked." She intoned. "So I'm pretty sure I'll have visions of some sort when he plans the next assault. Since I didn't have any last night, that should mean there won't be any attacks tonight."

Their leader took another deep breath. "But he can attack in any form at any time. It might another bunch of golems tomorrow, or a spaceship full of Trigon worshippers next week."

Raven nodded. "Pretty tough to counter." She intoned. "If was easy, Azarath would still be around."

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The violet-haired girl intoned, levitating. A knock came at the door, and she reach out to open it.

"Evening." Beast Boy said, entering.

"Evening." She replied. "What brings you here?"

"You said I could meditate with you." He pointed out.

"Oh. Of course." She went back to meditating. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She recited, and he repeated it

An hour passed, and she stopped.

"It does help me relax." The shape shifter admitted. "Once I get past the first half hour that is."

"So you can change into a dragon now." She commented apathetically.

"Yeah. That's a bit cool, though also a bit disappointing. He remained on the floor, and rested his back against a wall.

"Why disappointing?"

"I'm so small compared to ... you know who."

She nodded. "According to myth dragons grow larger as they age. You're still young even if Malchior is ancient."

"It's usually a combination of my size and the DNA though."

"Oh. Right." She stared into the air for a few seconds thinking. "And that's not the only strange thing about it. You're usually green even when you change shapes, but the dragon is pure silver. No hint of green at all."

"Yeah. I've noticed that too." He admitted. "I've tried to breathe fire again, and it's pretty weak. Not at all like last night."

"That might be because of your emotions." Raven explained. "Like my powers, your fire breath might depend on what you're feeling. You were pretty enraged last night. I felt it."

"Oh."

She studied him. He was still heavily scarred. That she would fix tomorrow, as well as finish healing Starfire's arm. He definitely wasn't the immature boy she'd once thought him to be. Recalling the kiss, she started to blush again. _Am I never going to get over that? _She wondered. Considering what she was about to do, the blush deepened.

"Okay. I'll accept another bet." She intoned, not meeting his eyes.

He looked up at that, heart pounding. "Really?"

"Ummm. Yeah. But what do I get if you lose." She stated. "It'll only be fair." She pointed out.

"What do you want?"

"Hrm." She thought about it, unable to think of anything.

"So is this if I beat Knowledge as a dragon, or if I spar with you?" The ecstatic shape shifter asked.

"You going to use the giant crocodile yet?" The blushing violet-haired girl asked.

"No."

"Then it wouldn't be fair sparring with you until you're ready to use all your animal forms." She pointed out. "I'll let you test Knowledge in your dragon form."

"And the conditions?" He gulped, eyes not moving from her.

"You win, a ... another one." She said, turning even redder.

"And if I lose?"

"Not sure. I'll think of something by tomorrow."

"Okay." He grinned.

"Anyway. Better get some sleep if you want to beat Knowledge. You took her by surprise last time, so don't expect it to be so easy this time. Or it better not be. If it is I'll stick her in with Rage for a week."

"Bye Raven." He close the door behind him, grinning.

She felt her face, wondering if she was going to spontaneously combust. But if anything, last night had taught her how short her life might be. Some risk was worth it, she decided with her heart pounding.

* * *

End of Chapter.

A new bet, but this time I think Knowledge is going to be seriously motivated given she might end up spending a week with Rage if she loses.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	12. Chapter 12

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: The next morning._

* * *

**_The Shop,... Breakfast,... The Fight,... Nap Time,..._**

A falcon was the perfect form for getting around a city. No need to follow the traffic rules, or even the roads for that matter. Of course getting somewhere depended on knowing how to get their first. That was the part Beast Boy was having trouble with. He could recall Raven mentioning a number of stores she frequented, but finding them was another thing entirely. _For that matter, what sort of store is open at four a.m? _The shape shifter wondered. Folding his wings close to his body, he plummeted towards the ground, until just a hundred feet above the road he stretched them out to catch the air once more. From this position he surveyed the area, able to clearly see the signs of more than two dozen shops. One, called the _Magical Merchandise of the Occult, _sounded familiar, so he dropped down in front of it and returned to his human form. As he'd expected, even at this hour the rundown store was open. He pulled a hood up over his head, not caring at the moment to bring attention to his green skin and pointed ears.

The inside was dark; too dark. If not for his sensitive eyes, the display of books and other items would have been lost amidst the tangible gloom. It made him wonder how the regular customers managed to find anything. His eyes scanned the place, noting stacks of books along with numerous pieces of jewelry with signs denoting them as charms of some sort. _Definitely Raven's sort of place. _He mused with a small smile.

He browsed through the books, though only a few were in English. Some were supposedly grimoires, and idly he wondered if anyone could cast a spell if they performed the right ceremony, or if only certain people could. The shape shifter studied the spells in some of the texts, barely able to make sense even of the ones that were in his native tongue. Plus he had no clue which ones Raven already had. Placing them back, he wandered through the store, finally stopping at a rack of charms. He turned as his ears picked up footsteps.

"May I help you?" A young woman spoke, peering at him. Obviously she had no difficulty seeing in the dark.

"A charm for good luck, or protection." He replied.

The woman, short with blonde hair and amber eyes, studied him for a few seconds. "This way." She said.

The shape shifter followed her, as she twisted around stacks of books and other objects. Finally they came to a stop far in the back of the store.

"Those bring good luck." She pointed at several bracelets on a rack.

He studied them, immediately skipping past three that were formed like a dragon, not wanting to remind her of Malchior. Though even as he studied the others, his eyes kept being drawn back to one of the dragon ones. A simple silver loop shaped in the form of a dragon. Two small emeralds marked its eyes. Eventually he picked it up and studied it.

"Supposedly it was formed from the treasure of a great silver dragon." The woman informed him. "Legend has it that it absorbed some of the dragon's magic and can aid in battle, as well as protect again dark magic."

"It feels interesting." The shape shifter replied. His hands tingled when they touched it. Turning his gaze back to the rack, he pick out a simple bracelet that he thought Raven might like. He really had no more idea if she would then he had about the books. He paid for the two items, and left the store. Outside he slipped the dragon bracelet on his own wrist. It was a perfect fit.

* * *

She opened one violet eye, and peered around the room. _Did I really agree to another bet? _She asked herself, unable to believe it. _What was I thinking? _She knew he wouldn't hold it against her if she backed out of it, and that was what she was seriously thinking about doing. _On the other hand, what could one more 'experiment' hurt?_ The violet-haired girl mused, trying to convince herself. She sighed and sat up. Soon she was chanting, meditating.

An hour later she entered the kitchen to find him there, cooking pancakes. "Morning." She greeted him impassively, blocking all thoughts of experiments from her mind.

"Morning." Beast Boy greeted. "Want pancakes?"

"Sure." She sat down at her usual place, noting the teabag that was already there. Steam coming from the kettle indicated the water would soon be boiled.

"So the ... umm... match. That will take place in Nevermore." He asked.

"Of course. Knowledge getting out here would be bad news." The violet-hair girl replied, still wondering whether to wimp out or not.

"Ah." He lifted the pan off the stove, and evenly divided the pancakes. The kettle started to boil so he filled her cup.

"New bracelet." She commented, her violet eyes gazing at it with a fierce intensity.

"Yeah. Supposedly was made from the treasure of some dragon. Do dragons actually hoard loot like that?"

"How would I know? Until a few months back I thought they were just myths. According to legend they do." Her eyes remained on the bracelet.

"Hrm. Hope I don't get uncontrollable urges to start robbing banks in that form." He smiled at her.

"If you do I will visit you in prison." A slight smile crossed her lips.

"Thanks." He poured syrup on his pancakes and took a bite.

"Only dragon form remember." She reminded him before starting to eat.

"Yeah." He sighed. "Tried the shape a bit earlier. She's going to enjoy clobbering me today. So what do I forfeit if I lose?"

"Hmm." She still had no idea. "You have to play at least one game of chess a day with me until you win a game." It was something she enjoyed, but there was rarely anyone around to play with.

"Oh. I guess that's okay."

A comfortable silence descended on the table.

* * *

In Nevermore Beast Boy noticed Knowledge had a pale look to her. "You okay?" He asked, concerned.

"She'd just afraid." Raven explained. "I told her if she loses it's two weeks with Rage. Trust me, she's going to give it everything she's got today."

"Isn't that a bit harsh? How about if she loses I take her place and spend two weeks with Rage."

The violet-haired girl frowned. "She's my evil side remember."

"Maybe. But she's a cute evil side." He grinned at her reaction.

"She has four red eyes that glow. How is that cute?" Raven demanded.

"Those just make her look mysterious." He explained.

"She ripped your arm off." She pointed out, fuming.

"That was just a misunderstanding." Beast Boy replied, watching her face.

"Hrmph. Just turn into a dragon and start fighting." The irritated girl stated.

Soon he was soaring through the forest's yellow sky, trying to avoid pink clouds. Knowledge had taken to the air too, and was levitating about a hundred feet from him.

_Two weeks with a monster? If I don't win I might as well kiss my life good-bye. _The yellow-clad emoticlone solemnly mused to herself. She raised her hands and sent bolts of dark energy at the shape shifter.

Beast Boy evaded the first attack with ease. Like most birds of prey the dragon had superb eyesight, which allowed him to keep his eyes on the emoticlone. He dodged and breathed back fire. It was pitifully weak compared to the first time he'd used it. He gained some altitude, and dived at his opponent. She didn't even wait for him to get close before teleporting away. A blast of black energy hit him, and he realized she must have moved to a spot just above him. He closed his wings to drop swiftly away from her, but it was no use. She followed, and poured blast after blast of black magic into his back. _She had come up with a good plan. _He mused. _Just stay behind me. That's why you don't give someone like her time to think; they can always find the flaw in any strategy._

She was winning. _Thankfully. _She sighed to herself, not letting up on the attack. However the bolts of black magic weren't as effective as she'd hoped. It seems the legends were true, and dragons were somewhat resistant to magic. At least this one was to the dark type she used.

He felt a tingling sensation come from his right wing and looked at it. Strangely the bracelet he'd worn was now etched into his wing tip. What that meant he had no idea, and didn't have time to think about it. Knowledge would wear him down before he even got in a single decent attack. He judged how far he was from the ground, and suddenly twisted around so he was falling backwards. Fire erupted from his jaws, and streaked towards his foe. She vanished. He twisted and sent more flame at where she'd appeared just a dozen yards away to his right. Having such a flexible neck was useful. Knowing the ground was getting close, he righted himself and swooped low. Then the emoticlone was at his back again, throwing more dark magic at him.

He'd nearly hit her with that last attack. She'd expected him to take longer to recover, but that neck of his was very flexible. She backed of, and threw more bolts of dark magic from a distance. It missed more often, but it was safer.

As he grew used to the shape, he learned how to avoid her attacks. The form was more nimble than he'd thought. His massive wings opened and closed, twisting every which way, allowing him to maneuver pretty well. As long as Knowledge kept so far away, she wouldn't be able to do much damage. A few times she'd given up throwing bolts magic and had tried to clobber him with rocks. If she had much time to think, she would figure out how to beat him, and he really wanted to win. Still, he hoped Raven didn't send the yellow-clad emoticlone to Rage's domain. Given how afraid she was, it would probably give her a heartattack.

He breathed more fire, and it barely crossed the distance to his foe. This time she didn't teleport away, but merely raised a barrier.

_"Righteous anger. Idiot. The flame is magic, and depends on your emotions." _A dark voice muttered in his ear.

_Emotion. _He mused. Usually he wasn't one to feel much anger, and he wondered how to go about summoning an emotion at will. Focusing, he thought about being forced to eat meat. A dark hate flooded him, and he sent a bolt of pure black energy at the emoticlone.

Knowledge blinked. That was new. Thankfully she'd been far enough away to see it coming, and had teleport away, but why would he be suddenly using some sort of dark flame?

_"IDIOT!" _Rage's voice screamed in his head. _Sometime hate is justified. Sometime rage is right. Sometime anger is just. But if you focus on resentment like that, it will burn you away until there's no difference between you and a monster like Trigon."_

He struggled to regain his equilibrium. For some reason the blast of black flame, or whatever it'd been, had caused him a moment of weakness. "You said anger, so I used anger." He replied, not knowing if he was talking to himself or not.

_"I said righteous anger. Not blind resentment. I know all about that, and trust me, if you hold onto that feeling it will destroy you. Love needs to be nurtured, and such hate would only kill it. You forgave her for that, so cleanse that emotion from yourself. Instead recall the emotions you felt when you struck to protect her from Slade."_

He twisted away from the attacks Knowledge had resumed throwing his way. _Righteous anger. _He mused, and imagined Raven in danger, that Slade was going to hurt her. The next blast of flame reached across the distance between them and hit the barrier the yellow-clad emoticlone had put in place. It broke, but she'd already teleported away. It wasn't the same as he'd used that night, but it was more powerful than anything he'd managed so far today.

_"Think pure thoughts." The demonic voice ordered. "Think of how you care for her, and breathe a tiny flame on the tattoo on your wing."_

He obeyed, recalling how being with Raven made him feel. To his surprise the tattoo briefly glowed with a pure white light.

_"A rare find that." _The voice mused darkly. _"Keep it charged in such a manner, and it will provide protection against many forms of dangers. It would be useless to her though, as only a silver dragon can restore its power." _There was a slight pause before the voice continued_. "It's amusing to watch. See her below? How she is so torn between wanting you to win, and yet being afraid you will? Fight well." _He felt something withdraw from him, and realized she was no longer watching him.

The battle continued. Knowledge kept her distance, using mainly bolts of dark energy. He tried to close the distance, and exhaled fire. More than an hour passed as they each struggled to force the other to surrender. Once in a while he breathed flame on the tattoo, and it seemed to help against her attacks.

Suddenly a dark hand reached into the sky, drawing their attention, and they looked down. Raven was motioning for them to land.

"Time's up." She told them. "It's time for the team to practice. Guess it's a draw."

Beast Boy could've sworn she sounded disappointed.

The yellow-clad emoticlone gulped. She hadn't won. "And me?" She asked fearfully.

Raven shrugged. "You're me, remember. You must've known I wasn't going to put you in with Rage."

Knowledge slumped to the ground. "I was afraid you might change your mind." She admitted.

"Don't be silly. It might be a hit on my pride when you lose a fight, but I'm not that cruel." She turned towards Beast Boy and decided the heck with it. She knew what she wanted. She leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "A draw might not be a win, but it isn't a loss either." She replied, and turned around, knowing her face was a bright red. She headed for the forbidden door.

The shape shifter smiled, and followed her.

She spoke as they walked together. "A silver dragon, according to legend, is a righteous being. It protects. Why did you breathe dark energy once?"

"I was trying to use emotion to help with the attacks." The jubilant shape shifter replied. "I guess I got the wrong emotion. It made me feel weak for a while."

"From what I've read, a dragon's color reflects its heart." Raven explained. "Being silver means your heart is pretty pure." The violet-haired girl frowned. "Supposedly a dragon's color can change. If your heart ceases to be pure and becomes dark, you might become a black dragon. Or if you're always angry, then red. Blue would be a dragon with a calm heart, slow to anger and enjoying peaceful activities."

"Oh. Interesting. Of course I just transform into one. I'm not an actual dragon."

"True." She replied. "But Malchior was dark in color, and since he was the source of your DNA ..." She shrugged. "You're not green and you're not the color he was."

He thought about it as they walked through the forbidden door.

* * *

Beast Boy sniffed the air. He'd once told Raven that his sense of smell was only a little better than human, and that was true. But it was still somewhat better. "Something's wrong with the air." He said, looking around, sniffing.

"Wrong?" She asked, turning to look at him, hoping her cheeks weren't too red.

He nodded. "It smells different."

"Smells fine to me." The violet-haired girl commented, sniffing the air herself. "You sure?"

He tilted his head. "And the tower doesn't sound right." The shape shifter added, frowning..

"Maybe Starfire's cooking, and Cyborg running the fans at high to clear out the smell." She suggested.

He shook his head. "I know what that's like. This is different." He yawned.

"I'm sure it's nothing." Raven replied sleepily, yawning as well. She wondered why her eyes were closed. _Hmm. Sleep. _The violet-haired girl thought, slumping down on the floor.

"Raven?" Beast Boy asked, worried. He yawned again, and felt himself falling. His last conscious thought was an effort to change into an amoeba.

* * *

Beast Boy awoke in a place that was vast beyond comprehension. For a full minute he sat and stared, unable to comprehend how a place could be so inconceivably immense. It stretched upwards for mile upon countless mile. Surely it must reach even beyond the moon, assuming there was such a thing in this place. Other than the floor where he sat, it was the same in all directions. A whole cosmos that was empty. He blinked, or tried to. Failing, he knew something was wrong. It was only when a creature the side of a galaxy walked past that he understood he was an amoeba. Things weren't large; he was small.

The shape shifter would've shook his head and rubbed his temples, if he'd had such appendages. Analyzing the foreign toxins in his body, he carefully removed them. Slowly, he recalled that something had been wrong with the air, and that both he and Raven had passed out. _Knock-out gas of some sort. _He realized, also noting that the presence of the strange gas in the air would've affected sound.

Being so small had distorted his view of the creature he'd seen walking around, but it'd looked familiar. He had a bad feeling about this. He would've gulped if he'd had the ability to.

He considered his options. Being an amoeba would be safer, but it would take forever to look around. Turning into an Etruscan shrew, he scampered to the sides of the corridor he was in, and looked around. Weighting in at one and a half grams, with a body length of three centimeters, he hoped he would be beneath the notice of anyone he ran into. If not then his size wouldn't afford him much protection. The boy sighed, wishing for a small form that was also tough. Picking a direction, he scurried along the passageway.

Vibrations coming from the floor alerted him to several sets of footsteps. Quickly returning to an amoeba, the shape shifter waited until the unknown creatures passed him. Then he turned towards them and, for a quick second, turned into a small sparrow. He still didn't know where he was, but the creatures he recognized. They were tall, with blue skin and a tail. The reptilian aliens could only be Gordanians.

Beast Boy pondered what that could mean for several minutes, dreading his conclusions. Returning to the form an Etruscan shrew he resumed his exploration. He came across room after room filled with strange equipment, and was tempted to resume his human form for a bit in order to investigate, but decided to play it safe. Realizing just how much his size was hampering him, he decided on a change of strategy.

Returning to the corridor, the shape shifter used the form of a sparrow to fly to the ceiling, and once again used his amoeba form. Eventually a Gordanian walk by beneath him. He let himself fall on it, and soon he had the genetic code to become one himself. He slid from the creature, and let it get out of sight before he took on the new form. He sighed as he realized he was green. "Duh." He told himself. _Oh well, __maybe they come in colors other than blue. H_e mused. _Or maybe they'll think I just got a disease of some sort and avoid me_. _Which, given I don't know the language, would be good._

Sighing again, he started walking. Wherever he was, it was huge even to something that wasn't the size of an amoeba. Eventually he came to a display on the wall that showed a view of space. He gulped, and took it as a sign that his conclusions were right. He was on a Gordanian ship.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	13. Chapter 13

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Immediately after previous chapter._

* * *

_**Finding Raven,... Blood,... Rage,... Chess,...**_

Beast Boy wandered through the ship in the form of a not so large, green colored, Gordanian. To say that he was getting frustrated would be an understatement. He didn't know the language, so all the signs were meaningless. Nor did he know if his color would draw attention or not. But most importantly, he didn't know where his friends were. When he'd realized they were being gassed, he'd tried to change into an amoeba, and fall on Raven. That seemed to have succeeded. He was, after all, on the ship. But it seemed in the process he'd gotten separated from her. At least that's what he hoped had happened. For all he knew they'd killed the rest of the team, and he'd been merely dragged aboard on one of the aliens' boots.

Hearing more of the Gordanians approach, he turned into the form of an amoeba, and then continued on his way once they'd passed. He was still thinking it was better safe than sorry, but at some point he would have to try other methods. With a sigh, he turned down another corridor. Immediately he noticed a difference; the doors seemed to be sturdier, and they were all locked. The shape shifter assumed it was a place to store prisoners and got his hopes up. Ten minutes later they were dashed as he realized the calls were all empty.

Beast Boy took another deep breath, and returned to the main corridor. There he decided the heck with creeping around, and shifted into a bear. Immediately the world around him changed. The most sensitive nose of any land creature on earth sniffed the air, and provided him with a massive array of information. Raven's scent was unmistakable, though very faint. Taking another sniff, he decided none of the other Titans were present. Falling down on all four, the shape shifter began to follow the violet-haired girl's trail.

Several times he had to hurry and hide as an amoeba, but eventually he came to a large door. On it was the sign of Trigon; a scarlet mark that looked like an 'S.' Beast Boy frowned and sniffed the air again. The odor told him there must be at least two dozen Gordanians in the room. Realizing there was only one way to scout the place without giving himself away, he reverted to being an amoeba and waited. Half an hour later several of the aliens rounded a corner, and headed for the door. For a brief second he turned into an Etruscan shrew, and leapt on one of their feet, returning to an amoeba as he did so. Soon he was in the room.

It was massive, and it wasn't just from him being an amoeba again. It held, by his count, thirty Gordanians with room to spare. On a bed, at the far end of the chamber, attached to a futuristic looking IV, was Raven. The violet-haired girl looked pale, but he hoped the IV meant she was alive. After all, what use would there be for it if she wasn't? The boot he was riding approached her, and he released his hold on it when it stopped near the bed. Sliding to the floor, he crept out of sight beneath the bed and turned back to his human form. Listening, he heard her heart beat; slow but steady. The shape shifter closed his eyes in relief, only just realizing how terrified he'd been that the worse had happened.

The door to the chamber opened again, and Beast Boy was vaguely aware of the newly arrived Gordanian speaking. Whatever it was he said, the whole room erupted in motion. Several faces looked beneath the bed, and the fact he'd reverted to being an amoeba should've hidden him; it didn't. A hand-held weapon started to play over the floor, steaming where it hit. With death near, he reverted to a humming bird and fled the small space; immediately the air was filled with beams.

Considering his options, he switched into the giant ten ton crocodile, and fell on top of ten to twelve of the aliens. His thrashing tail sent several more flying. Careful not to hurt Raven, he lunged on top of several more, still whipping his tail around. Pain tore into his body as they overcame their surprise, and started hitting back. In a match of pure physical strength they were nearly the equivalent of Starfire, and she could toss cars around.

He lunged once more, and brought his back up against a wall. Turning into a dragon, he sent forth a stream of fire that burned pure white. The Gordanians went running for cover. From hiding places their weapons still stuck out at him, and he breathed on the tattoo on his right wing tip. For some reason it weakened the pain from the attacks. Returning his attention to his foes, he exhaled another blast of dragon fire and sought them out. Many had fled the room, and only a few had weapons. Remaining where he was, his flexible neck twist and turned, blasting pure fury at those who'd stayed.

"Foolish one. Do you hope to stand against the power of Trigon?" An old looking Gordanain spoke, standing still amidst the chaos.

Beast Boy turned his attention towards him. On his forehead was the same mark as had been on Slade's. A scarlet 'S' that glowed. It explained how they'd known he was under the bed. The alien had been communicating with Trigon in some manner, and had been told by the demon. The Gordanian had then immediately come here to hunt him down.

"I can try." He responding, buying time to analyze the situation.

"It's impossible to fight a being whose infinite power can see everything. How could you hope to win?" The alien frowned. "But you did send three tens of my soldiers running. Join us, and you'll be allowed to live. Your reward will match your service to me, and from your power I image that would be great indeed. Everything you could hope for would be yours."

"I think not. Release Raven and I will allow you to live." Beast Boy replied.

The ancient Gordanian smiled. "It's beyond your power to kill me." He simply said.

The silver dragon hurled more fire, and sent it at his confident foe. Where he struck the floors and walls burst into flames, but the Gordanian was never in its path. Thew alien turned and dodged in a way that was very similar to the way Slade once had. The shape shifter stopped the onslaught, and stared back at his blue-skinned enemy.

"See. It's useless. Even if you were to run and hide, Trigon would just tell me where to find you."

"What do you have planned for Raven?" Beast Boy demanded.

"The Gem? She will be kept asleep until the time of the ceremony approaches, then she shall be his portal."

"And what about the other Titans?"

"Those? We were told not to harm them, that when his time arrives they were his to play with. He desires to see their faces as their world ceases to be. They will live for eternity as his play things." The ancient Gordanian smiled. "But you can escape their fate. Join me."

The shape shifter frowned. "No."

"Pity. You would've been so useful."

The alien moved, seeming to disappear and then reappear in front of him. Pain smashed into his chest. Before he could hope to react, another blow sent him flying with several of his ribs broken. Automatically he reverted to an amoeba, trying to hide.

"Ah yes. You can hide from me, but not from Trigon. I merely need to ask him, and he will tell me where to find you. It's hopeless. I will strike at will when you least expect it." Confidence radiated from the voice.

He returned to his dragon form, keeping his eyes focused on the powerful Gordanian. "Perhaps. But there's something you've missed." Beast Boy stated.

"And what is that?" Humor filled the ancient voice.

"I know Raven would rather die than allow Trigon to escape his prison. As much as that would hurt me, I will carry out her wishes. You might be able to find me, but I'm very hard to kill. On the other hand, this ship will be easy to destroy, and you will die along with her. Whatever Trigon has promised you, is it worth your death?"

"You're bluffing." The ancient alien declared.

The shape shifter noticed the muscles of his foe flex, and leapt at him, changing into the form of the giant crocodile again. His jaws closed around the skilled warrior's foot as he nearly made it to safety. A kick with his other foot caused Beast Boy to let him go. Immediately he reverted to being an amoeba before there could be another attack. There was alien blood floating around inside him; he'd done some damage. His body started the healing process as he wondered what to do.

_If I stay still and close of my senses, then maybe Trigon won't be able to locate me._ The shape shifter mused. _From what I've heard he sees through people's eyes, and if I can't see... Maybe, but then I wouldn't be able to see danger coming. _He stared at Raven. Somehow he knew if he decided to try to take her, the old Gordanian would be back. And despite getting in a single hit, he was outclassed. _But it must take time for him to communicate with Trigon and then get where I am. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to hide like I am now. So if I keep moving, I would always be in a different spot than the one Trigon told him I was in. Hrm. But the ship is going somewhere, and that probably isn't good._

He cast caution to the wind, and changed into a cheetah; he left the room at a run, ignoring his broken ribs, and was soon hundreds of feet away. There he changed into a bat, and listened. He heard a humming sound, and tried to smile. The action was repeated several times; the cheetah for speed and the bat to find his way. During the process he ran into three Gordanians, but a few seconds as a dragon sent them running. In less than two minutes he entered a huge room full of machinery. He wasn't sure, but he figured it was either the engine or the power source for the ship. Whatever it was, the sound could be heard throughout the whole vessel.

He shifted into a dragon, and took to the air. His righteous breath tore into the equipment, and in places it melted; in others it exploded. He flew the entire length of the immense chamber before the Gordanians working in the room could respond. Some wore wings, and took to the air to fight him. Those he blasted with more fire, sending them into hiding. Other took positions on the floor and used weapons. His body was racked with pain, but he merely remained where he was, seeking them out. To destroy the room it didn't matter if he focused on them, or the machinery. Either way, the damage was considerable. Eventually the battle ceased, and he forced his broken body to travel over the wrecked machinery several times, turning large parts of it into rubble. It'd been risky. If the ship had been driven by some explosive fuel, it could have destroyed the entire vessel. But it'd been a gamble he'd been willing to take. When he'd claimed Raven would rather die than allow Trigon go free, he knew it to be the truth.

In agony, Beast Boy fled the room, using the form of a cheetah once more to cover several hundred feet. Looking around, he saw nothing to distinguish this area from any other. Just an endeless corridor like many others aboard the vessel. He dropped to the floor and turned into an amoeba. Blocking his sight, he hoped Trigon would no longer be able to see where he was. However, vibrations from footsteps would alert him when danger approached.

Fearing for Raven, but hoping for the best, he settled down to heal. Briefly the shape shifter wondered how long it would take her to wake up if he were to pull out the IV. If she were awake, she could teleport them both to safety. _On the bright side. _He mused_. At least I know the other Titans are safe._

* * *

Several hours later he awoke, his wounds nearly healed. Keeping his eyes closed he shifted into the form of a bear and sniffed the air; Raven was still okay. Other scents came to him, and he decided he might eventually investigate them, but for now there were other things he wanted to do.

Changing into a bat he listened, then he was running as a cheetah. Once more he used the process to find the place he wanted; the outer hull of the ship. There his dragon form began to burn elongated gashes into the hardened metal. Even with the full fury of his breath, it was hard. The atmosphere tore at him as it rushed out through the holes, and he smiled. More damage for the Gordanians to deal with. He raced from place to place, never staying still long. Those he met he sent fleeing with dragon fire. Every once in a while he created another hole in the hull.

During the process the shape shifter came across something that looked familiar, sort of. He studied the objects and decided they were ship mounted weapons. He grinned, and sent several bursts of flame their way. They exploded easily, causing him some burns.

Running once more he search the ship for water. Having lost so much moisture thirst was killing him, and his amoeba form was nearly useless.. This time he used a bear to sniff the air rather than a bat to listen. It's sensitive nose eventually lead him to what seemed to be crew quarters. The faucet, while strange looking, was probably something every humanoid culture developed. He turned it on, and drank.

Food was found in a more grotesque manner. His made a slight pinprick in a finger, and let a single drop of blood fall. As an amoeba he dropped into it and ate his fill. When he returned top his human form, he was still full. The transformation process handled things like that. It carries wounds over from one shape to the next, as well as thirst and hunger. Satisfying hunger as an amoeba meant his human form ceased to be hungry as well.

Beast Boy studied the faucet and smiled, wondering where their water came from. Obvious they had to recycle it, and that meant they had stores of clean water. He became an amoeba again and followed the water that came from the tap. Eventually he emerged into a large tank. The one thing about amoeba is they could reproduce really fast, and that was what he started to do. Soon the tank was full of sludge as he multiplied, making the water unsuitable for drinking. He figured they would just purify it, but it was something else to keep them busy.

Returning to an anonymous place, the shape shifter settled down to think. If he was right the ship was no longer travelling towards whatever destination it'd had. That was good, since it meant Raven would remain here. Searching for her on a whole world would be just too much; it would take forever. Still, he didn't know what to do. He could indeed destroy the ship, but except as a last resort that seemed pretty extreme. He was even relatively sure none of the Gordanains he'd encountered so far were seriously hurt. It wasn't the way the Titans did things. Once you started killing, it was just a slippery slope you slid down until it became easy; then you were a villain. That brought Slade to mind. Even the soul of such a monster weighed on him; not that he wouldn't do it again. He sighed, and for lack of anything else, decided to meditate. it helped him think before, so maybe it would now. _Seems I'm picking up some of Raven's bad habits. _He thought, slightly amused. Taking a lotus position as best as a single celled organism could, he silently began to repeat the violet haired girl's mantra. _'Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos.'_ Time passed, and he entered a trance.

"_Hello_." Came a dark, tired, voice.

Beast Boy gasped, surprised at the voice. Thought he decided maybe he shouldn't be by now. Rage sounded tired; no, way beyond tired. He had no doubt she'd been sending out the same message since the attack.

"_Hello_." It came again.

"_Rage?"_ He asked, wondering if he would need to revert to his human form and talk for her to hear him.

"_BB?" _She asked, sounding surprised. As though she'd given up hope, and it had just been restored.

_"It's me." _Beast Boy replied.

_"What happened? Where're we? Raven hasn't opened her eyes for so long, and it not like a normal sleep. If it were, then I would be asleep too unless she was dreaming, which she isn't."_

The shape shifter told her what'd happened.

"_I see." _The weary voice replied when he'd finished_. "The drug keeps her unconscious, but I'm further down in her mind in this prison; it has a harder time reaching me."_

"_What do we do?" _The shape shifter asked, his own hope blooming with each word she spoke.

_"Good question. Need to get that IV out of her, but you say that it would be difficult?"_

_"It would be. She'd guarded by someone who's a bit better in a fight than I am. But if that's the only way then I'll try it."_

"_Remember when we shared blood?" _Rage asked, sounding serious.

"_Yeah. I'm guessing it's what allows you to speak to me_."

"_True. But it also works both ways. It allows you to speak to me." _The emoticlone paused for a while. "_It's also a bit more than that. At least for you."_

"_How_?"

"_There is a seal on this place that keeps me from leaving. The most I can do with the connection between us is talk. But if I drop the seal that keeps people out, you can use it as a portal to enter my domain." _She explained.

"_Oh. And like when Raven enters Nevermore she'll disappear_?" Beast Boy asked, wondering at the implications.

"_Yeah. This is the inside of her mind, but it's also a pocket dimension. When she's here, she doesn't exist in your dimension anymore. Get her here, and she'll be safe from the Gordanians. At least until they return to earth to try again."_

"_Sorry to tell you, but I don't have a clue how to conjure a portal_." The shape shifter said.

"_You do. It was given along with the blood I gave you_."

"_I don't recall anything like that. Just the taste of the blood_."

"_Just get to her and hold her. Then think of me and say what come to mind_." The emoticlone explained.

"_Hrm. Can give it a try. But I'm pretty sure I don't know how to open a portal."_

"_You will. I'll need to rest since it will be my power that creates it. I'll be waiting."_

Leaving the trance, Beast Boy looked around. About magic he had no clue, but at least now he had a plan. He rose from his position and changed into a cheetah; it took less than a minute to get back to the room where Raven was.

The ancient Gordanian was sitting beside the girl. "Back again?" He asked, looking up. "The damage you've done to the ship might get us all killed." The blue-skinned alien calmly noted.

"Oh?" Beast Boy studied Raven. She looked okay.

"Without our engines we can't move, and we're in Aknarian space. They will track us, and seeing us hurt will destroy us." He shrugged. "We once killed several billion of their people, and it seems they hold a grudge."

"I wonder why." The shape shifter commented.

"If our hull was in one piece ,and our weapons worked, there would still be a chance. But alas." The Gordanian shrugged.

"Never heard of them." Beast Boy admitted, walking closer to Raven while keeping his eyes on ancient, blue-skinned, alien.

"Don't expect them to be sympathetic towards you, or the Gem. If they knew they could deny Trigon access to this dimension with her demise, they would do it in an instant."

The shape shifter reached out and touch the violet-haired girl's hair. Seeing the alien tense, he shrugged. "By your own admission we're all dead. What do you expect me to do?"

The Gordanian shrugged. "If you can fly in space you might try to escape, but they would be on the lookout for that. " He laughed. "Actually Trigon would demand that I let her go. If she dies, then so does his chances for dominion of this dimension. At least for a short time."

"Why do you serve Trigon?" Beast Boy asked.

"Many Gordanians do. He sees all, which means those of us who gain his favor can seek prey no matter where they hide. Worlds that are weak, or ships that're filled with treasure. Who else would we serve?"

"Someone who doesn't want to destroy whole worlds?" The shape shifter suggested.

"Only those who resist him will see their worlds destroyed. We have no fear of that." Came the calm reply, suggesting it was entirely reasonable.

"You said he wouldn't interfere if I were to take her from here?"

"No. But what chance do you have? If you can, take me with you. I'm rich beyond your imagination. I've looted worlds and even lead the warfleet against the Tamaranians a while back. Whatever you ask for, it shall be yours."

Beast Boy frowned in thought. He had hold of Raven, but how to cast the portal? Immediately words rose to his mind. "_Daemon Per Dominium Sanguis Da Vita Da Mihi Porta Vestram Dominium."_ He silently intoned, sending the words to the red-clad world around him disappeared, and he fell. To keep hold of Raven he switched into a dragon, and let his wings slow his fall. Soon he landed in the domain of Rage.

* * *

The shape shifter lowered Raven to the ground and looked her over. The end of the IV was still in her arm so he pulled it out. Other than that she looked okay. Her pulse was strong, if a bit slow. He then turned his gaze towards Rage. She was on the ground, not moving. "You okay?" He asked with a frown, quickly moving over to her.

She looked up, as if surprised at his concern. "Just a bit drained." The red-clad emoticlone replied. "Takes some effort to resist the drug even if it isn't affecting me as much as the other emoticlones." She grinned, and her eyes glowed. "Trigon is furious." She chuckled, and the grin widened. "Now that feels good."

Slumping down on the ground, she rested. "Soon as the drug leaves her system I'll be fine. What I'm wondering is how do we get her out of here before she wakes up. I still don't care for her to know about the blood. Not yet. You rightly intoned the words silently, so even Trigon doesn't know about it yet, and I want to keep it that way."

Beast Boy nodded, understanding. "What are the possible ways to get out? And where would we end up?"

"If you could get to Nevermore, the door would take you out through her mirror. You would be in Titan's Tower. The same with the entrance to my domain." She stared up at the red light that lit her world. "But for either we would need some way past the seal." Her voice was tired and darker than normal.

She turned to look at him. There might be a way, but it would be risky, and you would need to trust me absolutely. I would need to use your power for the spell, and if you resist it would ..." Rage shrugged. "I just know it wouldn't end well."

"I trust you." The words were simple, said in a straightforward tone.

The red-clad emoticlone studied him. "The seal is meant to keep me in. Should another cast a portal out of here, it wouldn't affect it."

"I'll still clueless on portal casting." Beast Boy pointed out.

Rage nodded. "But I'm not. I would need to use your body, and your power for the spell. I would need to possess you."

The shape shifter nodded, and stood. "Okay."

Cautiously the red-clad emoticlone stood. "You sure? If you resist our powers would clash, and you're far from weak. Raven could be seriously hurt."

"I trust you."

She nodded. "Think of the forbidden door." She ordered, and stepped forward. Raising her hand to his chest, all four of her eyes closed; she vanished.

Something dark and cold, yet warm entered him. He accepted it without fear, and quietly watched as his hand rose, and he started to chant. "Porta Ego Te Coniuro; Porta Ego Duce Te Aperire." With each word his strength diminished until he was on his knees. Then the words stopped, and though he was still weak he wasn't in danger of collapsing into unconsciousness. Rage appeared in front of him.

"Take her and go. Find the forbidden door and get out." She smiled. "And thank you for trusting me." Her dark tone expressed disbelief that he had, and even in its own way gave thanks.

Beast Boy grinned wearily at her. 'If it takes that much energy to open a portal, I wonder how Raven can do it so easily?"

Rage shrugged. "The weakness will only last until the portal collapses, which it will as soon as you enter it. Most of your strength will return then. So if you open and close a portal fast, it's not as bad. Now go."

He rose and gave her a hug, surprising her. "Til we meet again." He told her.

The red-clad emoticlone smiled. "Til next time." She replied, and returned the hug.

Beast Boy picked Raven up, and stepped through. Behind him the dark portal closed, and most of his strength returned. Looking around, he noticed they were directly in front of the forbidden door. He assumed that was due to him, and maybe Rage, setting it as the destination by thinking about it. He stepped through, and appeared in Raven's room.

Supposedly the drug would clear out of her system, but he still headed down to the clinic. Cyborg, the usual medic for the team, was in the commons room. Soon the cybernetic teen had taken things over, and Beast Boy sat back on another cot to relax.

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." The violet-haired girl intoned, mediating.

She had no clue how she'd got back to the tower, though she was glad she had. The monitoring system Cyborg had installed had shown the ship landing, and taking her onboard. Then it had taken off. The team had went nuts looking for Beast Boy, and then had tried to give chase; unfortunately the vessel had left no trail. They'd returned while Starfire had left for Tamaran to inquire about any Gordanian ships they might've spotted. Given their history with the race, it was something they were very vigilant about.

Then Beast Boy had arrived with her in his arms, the drug still in her system. She'd woke up an hour later, very very hungry. Her emoticlone were all okay, but as clueless as her. They'd fallen asleep at the same time as she had.

Only the shape shifter knew what had happened, and beyond the part about turning into an amoeba, and following her onto the ship he wasn't saying much. He had, when Starfire had returned, told her that the warleader, who'd led the fleet that had devastated her home world, was probably dead. The usually jubilant girl had given a very scary smile and simply said, 'good.'

A knock at her door caused her to look up. Reaching out with her dark powers, she opened it.

"Evening." Beast Boy said, entering with a case beneath one arm.

"Evening." Raven replied, recognizing the case as the chess set.

"A draw isn't a loss, or a win." The shape shifter reminded her, holding up the case. "Want a game?"

She gave a slight smile. "Sure. How about we make a bet over it. I win and you tell me the full story."

"Sorry. No can do. And don't be so sure you're going to win that easy." He beamed a smile at her.

Her heart started beating faster, and she felt a little giddy.

"By the way, when I picked up the bracelet for myself, I also got this. Hope you like it." He handed her the bracelet he'd picked out for her. "Just a thank you for helping me meditate and stuff." Beast Boy hurried to add, heart beating way too fast.

"Thanks." She smiled, and slipped it on her wrist, blushing slightly

He was right, the chess game wasn't as easy as she'd expected, but after two hours she managed to corner him. It was the sort of game she liked, hard with the end always in doubt. "Another?" She asked, smiling happily.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	14. Chapter 14

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Comments and replies to reviews: Not the last chapter yet. _

_Time: The next day._

* * *

_**Gifts,... Nevermore,... The Attack,... Rage Released,... **_

Raven stretched, and turned over in the bed, not wanting to get up. She'd eventually fallen asleep, and combined with being unconscious for much of the previous day it'd made her groggy. The violet-haired girl pushed one wrist out from under the sheets, and studied the bracelet Beast Boy had given her. As a charm it was pretty much a dud, but in her short life gifts had been pretty rare. Once in a while Azar, the high priestess of Azarath, had given her items like the mirror that was a portal to her inner world. There'd been a few things from her mother as well.

Slumping back in the bed, she tried to count all the gifts she'd ever received. In all, she figured it was nine, with the bracelet making it ten. Each one was special to her, marking a moment in time when she'd been told she mattered. Of the others, only the mirror and the Book of Azar remained. And that led to a dilemma. She wanted to wear the bracelet, but in her line of work it would probably end up broken within a week. With a sigh, she decided to always remove it when she left the tower. Hands rubbing her face, she sat up with a yawn, and started to chant her mantra. Soon she felt tranquility fill her, and she reached for the mirror.

* * *

"Morning." Knowledge greeted, peering at the wrist with the bracelet.

"Morning." Raven replied, sitting down. A second later she was swarmed with Happy, Love, Brave, and Knowledge as they all leaned in for a closer look at her wrist. Even Timid was standing back, and peering eagerly over their shoulders.

"It's just a piece of silly jewelry." She told them with a slight smile.

"Umm. Sure." Knowledge replied with a smile of her own. "That's why you spent so much time looking at it, and why you're so afraid you'll lose it."

"Well. I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings by not wearing it." Raven intoned. "And all of you would've got a good look at the time same time as I did. So back off." Timid was the only who listened to her. Watching the grey-clad emoticlone try to examine the trinket from a distance made her feel guilty.

"Anything more on the premonitions?" She asked with a sigh,

"Sorry." Knowledge replied. "All I can tell you is there will be further attacks."

"Great." The violet-haired girl leaned back against a tree, and stared up at the yellow sky before speaking again. "As you know, Starfire's people did see a ship like the one that kidnapped me. It was destroyed by some people called the Aknarians more than four hundred light years from earth." Raven peered at the yellow-clad emoticlone. "Not that I'm going to complain, but how did Beast Boy drag me back to earth from that distance?"

"Maybe he has a form that can fly in space." Knowledge shrugged. "Or maybe he's been sneaking into your room and studying your books."

"Hrmph."

The yellow-clad emoticlone stared at the pink clouds floating above her. "Or maybe Rage helped him." She warily suggested.

"Doubt it." Raven muttered.

"Really? Why?" Knowledge asked. "Remember, if you die, then she does too. That might've been enough inclination to motivate her to help."

"Even so, what could she have done? The seal on her domain is intact."

The emoticlone shrugged. "As you said, Starfire's people were watching the ship, and they didn't see him leave it. So while BB using an animal form that can fly through space is a possibility, it's not likely. I just mentioned it to be thorough. As for him learning to teleport from your books, I think we would've noticed that. That Rage helped him is the only plausible explanation."

"But how?" Raven asked, giving the idea some thought.

"We do know he spent a considerable amount of time with her." Knowledge stared down at her hands, looking thoughtful. "Who knows what happened?" She shrugged.

"We know she nearly killed him." The violet-haired girl pointed out, anger tainting her voice.

"True." Knowledge admitted with a sigh. "Unless he's willing to tell us, we're not going to find out for sure."

Raven muttered something incoherently.

* * *

"Morning." Beast Boy greeted the violet-haired girl. "I was about to cook breakfast. Want some pancakes or waffles?"

"Waffles would be nice." She intoned, taking her usual seat. "Where did you learn to play chess?"

"It was something I used to play a lot before I became Beast Boy." The green-skinned Titan shrugged. "After that I didn't have anyone to play with."

"Oh."

"Cyborg figured out how they managed to gas us." The shape shifter informed her, pulling out the ingredients for the waffles. "Seems they have cloaking technology, and one of them just landed and hooked a canister into the tower's ventilation system. He was up all night fixing the scanners to see through their cloak."

"So it shouldn't happen again?" Raven asked, tone serious.

"Hope not. That was too close for comfort." He smiled at her.

"I wouldn't know." Raven replied sarcastically, with a hint of anger. "I was unconscious the whole time."

"Sorry." The boy replied with honesty.

"Yeah, Right." The violet-haired girl muttered, dropping an herbal teabag into her mug. "So you're still not going to tell me the full story?" Frustration filled her voice in a very unRaven-like manner.

"Sorry."

"Did Rage help?" She studied his reaction, seeing him pause. "She did?" The violet-haired girl said, stunned. "How? Why?"

Beast Boy sighed, and remained quiet.

"Tell me." She demanded, reaching out to push him against a wall with her dark magic.

"Does it matter? Just so long as you're safe?" He asked, feeling the immense pressure she was putting on his body as she held him in place.

"Yes." She spat. "Tell me!" The enraged half-demon increased the pressure.

"Unable to breathe, he could offer no response.

"Tell me!" She demanded again, eyes blazing with fury. "What did that demon do?" She increased the pressure again, ignoring her emoticlones as they struggled against her.

Close to blacking out, he wondered how to escape. He was confined by the dark energy surrounding him, so he couldn't shift into a larger form. Shifting into a smaller shape, including an amoeba, would just get him crushed as the power collapsed around him.

_"Are you going to kill him? Half demon?" _A dark voice echoed in Raven's mind.

"_No. Of course not. That's what you would do."_ The violet-haired girl raged back.

"_Look at him. He's unable to breathe. That is your doing, not mine."_ Came the demonic response.

Raven looked, and noticed that Beast Boy was definitely not his usual color. Gulping, she released her hold on the power, and stepped back. "I'm sorry." She whispered, but the changeling was already gone, leaving her staring at where'd been.

Free of the restraints, he'd shifted into a humming bird, and darted past her. Out of sight, he changed into his dragon form, and took to the skies.

_"Forgive her. It's not her fault." _Rage whispered darkly in his mind.

Beast Boy ignored the voice. He'd seen Raven's eyes, and they'd been scary.

Shaking, she turned and headed back to her room. There she reached for her mirror, entering the portal.

* * *

"What did you think you were doing?" Knowledge yelled at her as she appeared.

"I don't know." Raven replied, sitting down. She blinked, suddenly realizing the seal on Rage's domain was gone. Panicked, she rose. "The seal." She stated fearfully.

"We broke it." Knowledge replied. "We needed her help to stop you."

"But?" She sat back down, not knowing what to say. Around her stood seven of her emoticlones. All of them, except for Rage. None of them were pleased with her.

"It was better than letting you kill BB." Brave replied, for once sounding serious instead of just recklessly courageous.

"I wouldn't have." She firmly stated.

"The pressure you had on him would've killed any normal person." Knowledge pointed out.

"He's not normal. He could handle it." Raven insisted, trying to convince herself, recalling the way he'd looked. Her face was pale.

The yellow-clad emoticlone frowned. "Rage once asked me a question." She stated. "Would you like to hear it?"

Raven nodded, wondering what it had to do with the situation.

"_Do you know what it means for Raven to be half demon?" _Knowledge quoted.

"What sort of question is that? It means I've got to keep my emotions under control or they'll cause havoc. Especially Rage." The violet-haired girl replied.

"Somehow I doubt that's all that she meant by the question." The yellow-clad emoticlone looked up.

Raven looked and saw Rage standing there. Immediately she was on her feet, ready to fight.

"It means much more than that." The red-clad emoticlone replied, ignoring Raven. "I'm sure you've figured out a part of it."

Knowledge nodded. "She has aspects of Trigon other than just the ability to use magic."

"What? No I don't." Raven cried. "I'm nothing like him." She turned to look at the other emoticlones. "She's lying. Don't believe her."

"In a prison, there's not much to do." Rage idly said in her dark tone. "So I passed the time casting spells. Mostly divination ones."

"And?" Knowledge asked, interested, but still wary.

"Did you know, being half demon, Raven is immortal?" The red-clad emoticlone asked conversationally. It took a while for the statement to sink into Raven's mind.

"Immortal?" She exclaimed, blinking.

"Why so surprised? You were sired by the most powerful being we know of. It's to be expected you wouldn't be normal." Rage explained, shrugging.

"Are you sure?" Knowledge asked.

"As sure as one can be with prophecy. I mean the mortal world was supposed to end on Raven's birthday, and it did, for less than an hour. There's always a catch. But then you already knew that much, didn't you?"

"When you asked the question I did try to figure out the answer." Knowledge admitted. "So I considered each of Trigon's qualities, and tried to determine if they might fit Raven. Her being immortal was a possibility."

"When were you going to tell me that?" Raven asked, annoyed.

"As you can imagine, it has certain implications." Rage spoke, ignoring the girl once again.

"Yes." Knowledge frowned. "In time she might become as much of a danger as Trigon."

"That's insane." The violet-haired girl exclaimed, refusing to accept the statement.

"True. And how to avoid that is the big question." The red-clad emoticlone mused darkly.

"I won't ever become like him." Raven stated.

"Really?" Rage asked, turning her four glowing eyes upon the girl. "And what were you about to do to BB?"

"Nothing. I just wanted answers and got angry when he wouldn't give them. That he even cooperated with you."

"He couldn't breathe." Rage pointed out. "How could he've answered your questions?"

Raven frowned, guilt overwhelming her. "He's never going to talk to me again." She sighed, sitting down with her heart breaking. Tears started to slid down her cheeks.

"Perhaps not." Rage admitted, frowning. "If that's the case, then in time you will truly become the daughter of Trigon."

"Explain." Knowledge demanded.

Rage shrugged. "A person can only stand being alone for so long. Eventually, as centuries passed and everyone she knew died, she would change, and lose her connection to humanity. At that point they would cease to be real to her; like with Trigon they would be nothing but tools to be used and then discarded."

"Never." Raven exclaimed.

"That is what I saw as our destiny." Rage replied, meeting the girl's stare with one of her own.

"Me too." Knowledge admitted.

"What?" Raven cried, turning to face the yellow-clad emoticlone.

"If she's to avoid this fate, then she must have someone by her side to remind her of what it means to be human." Rage continued to explain.

"Which would be BB." Knowledge added.

The red-clad emoticlone nodded. "Someone who she can face the unending time with; someone who can remind her of what it is to be human when she starts to forget. Someone to make immortality fun."

"How? Wouldn't he die too?" Raven asked.

"No." Rage answered. "I'm not sure how, but in the futures I've examined, he remains unaging. In those where he stands with you, you do not become a monster. In others where he and you do not stand together he some times kills you to save the world; in others you kill him and brings ruins to the world."

"I would never kill him." The girl declared. "I ..." She blinked. "I love him." She stated, daring them to deny it; the words a surprise to her.

"We know." Happy spoke up. "We are all parts of you, and we've already realized that. It's about time you did."

Raven gulped. "But if he never speaks to me again..." She frowned.

"Then one of you will kill the other." Rage stated matter of factly.

"The anger I felt it was ..." She shrugged.

"You've kept me suppressed for years." The red-clad emoticlone spoke, anger in her tone. "Did you think there would be no repercussions?"

"I suppressed all of you." Raven pointed out.

"Not quite." Knowledge explained. "The others were only kept under control, not entirely suppressed."

"You made friends and spent time with them. You even made sarcastic jokes that made them laugh. I was happy." Happy explained.

"You felt affection for Robin, and love for all your friends. And eventually true love for BB." Love told her. "I was not kept in a prison."

"You walk into battles to fight for what you cared about. You were courageous." Brave said.

"Listening to me, you were cautious in your fights." Timid dare to say.

"The time you spent with books, or playing chess, I enjoyed." Knowledge told her, polishing her spectacles.

"I might not get out much." Sloth shrugged. "But your bookcase isn't as tidy as it might be."

Rude shrugged also. "While you tend to be sarcastically funny, you are at times rude." She explained.

"Whereas Rage." Knowledge spoke again. "Was kept in a prison, never allowed freedom. So long as she's kept balanced with the rest of us, it's okay to allow her some freedom; the same as you do with the rest of us. It's okay to feel anger at Trigon, and it's even okay to hate him, so long as you don't let it consume you. Those emotions have their place."

"So if I don't place her back in her prison, and seal her in, then I won't be uncontrollably angry like that again." Raven asked.

"No. But placing me in there again will guarantee there will be repercussions." Rage stated darkly. "Ones neither you nor I will be able to control."

"Why didn't I start to turn into my half demon form?" She asked.

"I was still sealed in my domain. It was you who had control of our body." The dark emoticlone explained.

The violet-haired girl frowned, unable to trust someone she'd hated for so long.

"He trusts me." Rage told her.

Raven looked up, fearfully meeting her eyes. "He did?"

"How do you think he crossed four hundred light years. He allowed me to possess his body in order to cast the spell."

"He what?" The violet-haired girl rose to her feet, gasping. "How reckless." She declared.

"Really?" The red-clad emoticlone asked. "The portal was cast, and I returned to my prison. How did that cause you any harm?"

Raven stuttered, trying to come up with a response.

"His mind is powerful. If his trust had not been absolute, it would have hurt us in our fragile state." Rage explained. "Instead he gave me the power to cast the spell, and all was okay."

The violet-haired girl remained frowning.

Rage shrugged. "Anyway, make up with him, or face the fact you will be as Trigon himself; a monster. And it's only with him that you can truly imprison that demon so he can't command his followers in this dimension."

"Imprison Trigon ..." Raven started to ask, but Rage was gone. Reaching out she sensed her back within her own domain; the seal to keep people out was back in place. The violet-haired girl sat back down, deciding not to replace the corresponding seal that kept the red-clad emoticlone imprisoned.

"Find him, and say sorry." Happy demanded.

"Will it be enough." Raven asked.

"No." Knowledge answered. "You've broken his trust several times, and too many will break it forever. But it will be a start."

* * *

"Have either of you seen Beast Boy" Raven asked, seeing the rest of the team gathered to eat breakfast.

"I have not, friend Raven." Starfire jubilantly responded. "Would you like some TosquiKob?"

"Hmm. No thanks Starfire." Raven backed away from the pot the smiling girl was holding.

"Oh. I wonder if friend Beast Boy would?" The orange-skinned Titan mused.

"If I see him, I'll ask." The violet-haired girl looked around at the rest of the Titans.

Both Cyborg and Robin shook their heads.

_Hrm. _She thought to herself outside. Reaching out, she searched for him. Detecting nothing, she frowned.

* * *

Beast Boy stretched his wings, and soared through the air. Feeling rage, he peered down and sent a blast of flame at the ground. It was tinted with black.

_"Careful." _A dark voice whispered in his ear. _"Too much of that and you'll be a black dragon. I'm betting those are no fun at all."_

_"She tried to kill me." _He thought back, enraged.

_"No. When she realized she was hurting you, she backed off." _Rage pointed out.

_"Still." _The shape shifter silently growled.

_"It's not easy to be her. It took me a long time to realize that. Around her she sees everyone laughing and having fun while she has to be careful. In Azarath she was always an outcast; everyone knew she would herald in the end of the world, and treated her accordingly. The only ones who were kind to her were her mother and the high priestess Azar."_

_"And when she lashes out at me again?" _He demanded.

_"As she accepts who she is, and learns how to deal with it, that will cease. She's in a period of transition from suppressing her emotions to learning how to accept them. It will take time, but in the end I promise you it will be worth it. __She loves you, and she's afraid of that. It doesn't help that Trigon is hunting her, causing her much fear and anger. It won't be easy."_

_"She loves me?" _That he doubted; the rage he'd seen in her eyes.

_"Yes." _Came the simple reply.

Above he saw a ship heading towards the tower. Turning, he started to head back.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Updates might not be daily anymore. Depends on how much free time I have.

Rage it seems is free of her prison.

So Raven is immortal, and might be as dangerous a threat as Trigon? Beast Boy immortal as well? Oh well. If they get together it will be for a long time. And a way to imprison Trigon so he can't attack them would be nice.

Raven has decided she loves Beast Boy.

And another ship? Wonder who's on board.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	15. Chapter 15

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to reviews:_

_I don't think Raven has any romantic feelings left for Robin. It was just a passing crush. I'm pretty sure that poster is gone now, and her eyes are only on Beast Boy._

_Beast Boy immortal? There are any number of ways to realistically write this. Not sure which way I will go with yet._

_Time: Immediately after previous chapter._

* * *

_**Another Ship,... Chess,... **_

The alien ship didn't hesitate; half a mile from the tower two beams of bright orange light reached out from it and stuck the building dead center, with enough force to punch a hole through to the other side. The onslaught lasted for five seconds. Then, after a thirty second pause, the vessel fired again.

Beast Boy watched in disbelief as the tower was struck four times before he could reach the ship. His breath poured forth an inferno to avenge what must've been his friends' deaths; the bright flame, tainted with black, washed over the silver-colored hull without effect. In fury he struck again and again, even as the orange beams reached out towards the tower a fifth time.

Frantic need drove him, but the hull resisted all his attempts. With each additional breath the fire he lashed out with grew darker in color. _Raven. _The shape shifter thought, and exhaled upon the alien vessel one more time. As before, there wasn't a mark left on the alien hull, but it did draw the attention of those who crewed it. Slowly the two hundred foot vessel turned to try to aim its weapons at him.

Beast Boy tilted his wings, and swooped down close to the hull, keeping away from the protrusions that marked the weapons. Lashing out with more fire, his rage and frustration grew. He flew around the ship, his mind automatically analyzing it. _Given the sturdiness of the hull, and its massive weapons, it would be right to consider it a battleship. _He decided. _It would be made to resist things like fire. _He studied the slow way it turned. _Hull is really massive. _The green-skinned Titan coldly noted, seeking some weakness in it. Tilting his wings again, he easily avoided its weapons once more, still studying the hull. _Designed to resist things like fire, but what about acid?_

Immediately the shape shifter was on the hull of the ship in the form of a six armed, alien Torkop. His guess had been right; the acid ate through whatever the ship was made of with ease. Soon he'd made a very small hole, less a centimeter in diameter, in the three-foot thick hull. Turning into an amoeba, he dropped inside.

The shape shifter looked around. Whereas the outside had been silver, the inside was orange. Carefully considering his actions despite the rage that drove him, he decided to repeat what he'd done with the Gordanian ship; hit hard at what he hoped were its weak spots. Shifting into a bat he listened. There were no distinct sounds that would indicate the engines or the power source for the vessel. Shrugging as best he could as a bat, he dropped to the floor as a cheetah. If nothing else, he was very aware of where the weapons were. The slim form of the great cat raced through the corridors, seeking the front of the vessel. With its agility and speed, it took a mere twenty seconds. He saw several aliens on the way, but ignored them, passing them in a blur that gave them no time to react.

A giant cylinder sixty feet long, and twenty in diameter, appeared to be the source of one of the rays that had devastated the tower. Shifting into a dragon once more he exhaled his fury upon it. As expected, while the hull of the ship was made to take damage, the inside wasn't as tough. His breath tore into the device, ripping a huge hole in it. Inside he saw an orange glow, and realized they'd resumed firing at the tower; only the weapon had been broken, and all that energy had nowhere to go. Frantically he switched back to a cheetah, and raced away, aware of doors slamming shut behind him. A massive tremor ran throughout the vessel.

The shape shifter grinned, his fangs exposed in a terrifying growl. That had been one of the weapons, but there were two. Calling upon his agility and speed once more, he found his way through the ship to the other weapon. It wasn't hard to find; the chamber he'd fled into took him right to it. As with the other one, his breath tore into it, tearing long gashes into its surface. It didn't explode, and he guessed that was because they'd stopped firing. Giving the damage their first few attacks had done, he thought it was probably too late. Still, there would be vengeance.

He went in search of other vital equipment to destroy when more of the doors started to slam shut around him. Exhaling his wrath upon then, he found they were tough, and resisted his dragon breath. Turning into a Torkop once more, he used his acid to burn holes through the three-inch thick barriers. With each one he reverted to a dragon and sent fire through the opening, clearing the way before he turned into a mouse and crawled through. Occasionally he turned into a bat and listened. After the fourth door he still didn't hear anything that indicated vital equipment, but he did hear talking. Two more doors brought him to the source.

Beast Boy studied those who crewed the vessel. He'd thought they were more Gordanians, but the people who stood before him looked nothing like those blue-skinned lizards. Standing at maybe five feet on average, with hair and eyes various shades of orange, there was no way to mistake them for those genocidal monsters. Seeing all the electronic equipment in the room, he inhaled and sent forth his breath once more. The aliens scurried for cover as the fire ripped through the various consoles and devices, causing a few to explode.

"Ghotro Pot Nax Cros." One of the aliens shouted, obviously speaking to him.

The shape shifter turned to look at the creature. Inside he was torn. If they'd killed Raven, then what could he do but kill them? It was just. Several of the creatures charged him, and he sent them flying with a single flap of his wings. Unlike the super strong Gordanians these people were physically weak; in fact they were probably no stronger than your average ten year old kid. He exhaled again, and they fled, seeking to hide. The alien who'd spoken earlier was pushing buttons on a badly damaged console. Beast Boy prepared to finish the destruction of the device when the alien spoke once more; this time the words were in English.

"Stop. Why do you attack us?" The orange-eyed being demanded. "We mean you no harm."

Beast Boy paused in his destruction and studied the alien. Other than the strange coloring, they appeared little different from a human woman of maybe fifty or sixty. "Who are you?" He demanded.

"We are the Aknarians." The woman replied.

The shape shifter frowned, recognizing the name. They were the race that'd destroyed the Gordanian ship that'd kidnapped Raven a few days ago. "What are you doing here?" He demanded.

"We don't owe you any explanations." Another female Aknarian angrily spoke up.

He turned his gaze towards her; if he had to guess, he would place her at around twenty-five. A breath of fire send her scurrying behind a devastated console. "I've yet to decide if I'm going to kill you." He explained coldly. "Why shouldn't I?"

"Your race is obviously not the same as the people of this world." The older woman spoke again. "Why would you risk making enemies of us? You should thank us. The Gem was our target, and with her gone the Eternal Evil is sealed away forever."

"How would you know the Gem is on this world?" He inquired.

"Talnia destroyed a Gordanian ship some distance from here. They had captured the Gem, but she wasn't aboard the vessel. Their records indicated she might be here, so we came looking for her."

"Talnia?"

The woman pointed at the one who'd spoken out angrily a few seconds back. "She faced a Gordanian ship and defeated it. An incredible accomplishment."

"I'm sure." The shape shifter muttered angrily. "How convenient for her the ship had no power and its weapons were already destroyed."

"What do you mean? How would that be the case?" The woman demanded, her eyes flaring a darker orange. "Do not dare question the bravery of such a warrior."

"I know because I was there." He simply stated, staring back at the woman.

The elderly alien looked down at the younger one who looked away, her face becoming darkly tinted with orange. "Is this true. The enemy's ship was already helpless?" The woman asked.

"They didn't fire back." The young woman admitted.

"Still." The older woman spoke, turning back to him. "The Gem is dead, and the Eternal Evil is sealed forever. We should celebrate."

"Why? The Gem was just a girl who resisted her destiny; a person who was by nature was kind and good. What crime did she commit?" He growled the words savagely, needing to destroy them, yet held back by the morals that defined a Titan.

The younger alien opened her mouth to speak, but was hurriedly quieted by the older woman who stared at him. "We do not know her nature, other than her destiny was to bring about our end. Was it not worth the price?"

"What did you gain? The Gordanians will still be guided by Trigon, and will still prey on the weaker worlds. And there will be other Gems?"

"Other Gems? How?" Her eyes pierced him, and he stared back without blinking, eyes full of wrath.

"He sired one. What is to keep him from siring another?"

"There's only one Gem." The younger woman insisted.

"I see." The older one said, frowning. "There's nothing in the prophecies saying there must be only one Gem. When one dies, he will merely make another." She studied him. "And I assume the Gem who we killed was someone you cared about?"

"She was." He simply replied. He inhaled and prepared to send forth his fury. The woman faced him, willing to accept the price of her actions.

* * *

Gazing out at the sky, wondering where Beast Boy might be, Raven saw the ship approaching. A sense of foreboding flooded her system with adrenaline, and she teleported back to where the other Titans were. Starfire let out a loud yelp as she was snagged by the hair as the violet-haired girl pulled her close to Robin and Cyborg. Wrapping her arms around all three, she teleported them down to the basement.

"What ..." Cyborg started to say, when a tremor shook the building.

Robin had merely went into a fighting stance, looking around as he'd assumed the girl's actions meant there was trouble.

"There's a ship close to the tower, and I would guess it just fired on us." Raven intoned impassively.

The cybernetic teen started pushing buttons on his arm, accessing the tower's security systems. Another shudder ran through the place. The basement was well beneath the surface, but it wasn't meant as a bomb shelter.

"Starfire. You recognize this ship?" Cyborg asked, showing the orange-skinned Titan a display on his arm.

"Aknarians." She simply replied, rubbing her head where Raven had nearly tore her hair out. "I wonder what they're doing here."

"By the looks of it, trying to kill us." Raven intoned sarcastically.

"But they're not a violent species." The girl insisted, frowning.

"Beast Boy is out there somewhere." Raven said. "I hope they're not firing at anything other than the tower." Her stoic expression was tinged with worry.

"As far as I can tell they're only shooting at us." Cyborg replied. Another shudder ran through the building. "Wonder how many shots this place can take?" He pondered, looking up.

"Not many." Robin answered. "Raven, can you teleport us somewhere else?"

"I can try. But where? Anywhere in the city would be bad if they track us." The violet-haired girl intoned, wondering where Beast Boy was. Reaching out, she tried to sense him. There was a faint trace of something, but nothing that would let her teleport to him. Her stoic expression cracked even further. She had a very bad feeling about this.

"How about the T-ship?" Their leader asked. "If we can get out in the open we can make a run for it, or hide in the ocean. I doubt we can fight; it looks like a battleship."

"Give me a second." She reached out and pulled them close as another shudder ran through the building. They vanished and reappeared by the T-ship.

To their dismay the exit was blocked. Climbing in, they started to cut their way out with the vessel's particle beams. Another shudder ran through the building. They waited for the next one, keeping their eyes focused on the exits. A while passed, and there were no more tremors.

"Seems they've stopped." Cyborg said, still staring at the display on his wrist. "They're chasing B." He added a few seconds later. "He's flying around their ship trying to get in, and they're trying to shoot him down.

Raven frowned. "Is he hurt?"

"Doesn't look like it. The ship isn't agile enough to bring its weapons to bear on him. He's okay."

The violet-haired girl gulped, wishing their lives were more peaceful. That she was just an ordinary girl, and he an ordinary boy. No villains, and no aliens.

_"He's not in danger of being hurt." _A dark voice whispered to her. _"But he believes you dead, and may kill those in the ship if he can. That would not be good for him; it would forever change him."_

"_If you can sense him like that, can't you talk to him?" _Raven asked, projecting her thoughts to the dark emoticlone.

"_No, he's too focused on destroying the ship to hear me." _Came the demonic reply. "_His every thought is spent on the fight." _

"He's inside and must've done something." Cyborg spoke. "There was just a huge explosion on the front left of the ship."

"_He didn't get hurt in it." _Rage reassured the violet-haired girl.

Two minutes later they were out, and the T-ship was in the air. Flying close to it, Raven got a clear sense of where the shape shifter was, and teleported all of them to him. The autopilot keep the Titan's ship hovering close to the aliens'.

Beast Boy was still frowning, wondering what to do, when Raven and the others teleported into the room ready for a fight.

"You okay?" Robin asked Beast Boy, as Raven stood back wondering what to say to the boy she'd nearly killed less than thirty minutes ago.

"I'm fine." The shape shifter relaxed, seeing the violet-haired girl safe. Around him the walls of the room had been melted and shattered. The alien woman still stood in the midst of it, waiting to pay whatever price the shape shifter deemed fit.

An hour later, the damaged Aknarian vessel slowly lifted for orbit and set course for their home world. Negotiations ensured there would be no more attacks on the Gem by their people. The Aknarians were generally a peaceful people who only built warships for defense against the Gordanian. Making Starfire angry, a former ruler of Tamaran, wasn't on their list of things to do. Nor did they desire more enemies.

* * *

The violet-haired girl sat staring at the wall, or at least half of a wall; repairs on the tower would take some time. _Immortal? _She wondered, though recent events seemed to imply being immortal didn't necessarily mean she would live a long life. _And Beast Boy too. _She mused. With a sigh she stood and teleported herself to his door. Knocking, she waited for a response.

"Come in." Beast Boy yelled.

Inside she noted the room while not exactly tidy, wasn't as dirty as it once would've been. "Game?" She asked, holding up the chess board.

He nodded. "Okay."

After the tenth move, she took a deep breath and sighed. "Sorry." She said.

Beast Boy shrugged, and took one of her pawns with a knight. "My dragon form isn't quite pure silver anymore." He commented sadly.

"Sorry." She said again. When they'd entered the alien ship she'd seen that the silver was tending more to a darker color.

"Not your fault." The shape shifter said. "I wanted to kill. Not a feeling I like, but I guess it tainted me somehow."

"Meditate and reflect on those emotions." The violet-haired girl suggested. "Understand where they came from, and make sure to be on the watch for them."

He nodded, cringing as he realized he'd just sent his knight on a suicide mission. That was going to have lasting repercussions for the rest of the game.

"I let Rage out of her prison." Raven said, placing the chess piece to one side. "Well technically my emoticlones let her out, but I'm not putting her back in. At least not unless something drastic happens."

"They all have free will. " He replied, studying the board, wondering how to quickly rebuild his defenses. "It seems to me that she, like you, has made the decision to fight her nature. You're not a demon; you're just a person whose doing the best she can. As for Rage, she's an emoticlone whose doing the best she can."

"Maybe." The violet-haired girl commented, wondering how to best take advantage of his weakened position. She would get a chance to take a rook if he didn't get it somewhere safe soon. _Is that how he sees me, as just a normal person? _She pondered, liking the idea. It beat being thought of as a demon.

He pulled the rook back to safety, allowing a pawn to be taken. "Guess I'll be doing quite a bit of meditation." He commented. "And to think I used to frown on it." He smiled at her.

Raven smiled back, her heart racing. "I mediate a lot, just join me." She offered. "Don't want to date a black dragon. Already been there and done that." She studied the board for a full minute, with him looking at her, before she realized what she'd said. Her cheeks were immediately a bright red.

"So you wouldn't mind dating a silver dragon?" The shape shifter asked, the board forgotten.

"Not if the dragon is a cute boy who likes me for who I am, and who can make me laugh." She smiled, cheeks burning.

He looked back down at the board, his own cheeks turning red; there was a smile on his face. Reaching down, he marched a pawn forward.

It was a crushing defeat as he tried, and failed, to recover from the knight he'd lost early in the game. Then the two of them sat together and quietly meditated for two hours. She reflected on what Rage and Knowledge had told her earlier. He reflected on his feelings for her, and his craving for vengeance aboard the alien vessel when he'd thought her dead.

Standing, she smiled at him, and left for her own room after a clumsy peck on the lips. Before it'd been just an experiment, or so she'd told herself. Now she realized it was serious. It made her unsure of how to react. Where once that would've caused her distress, it now caused excitement. She'd lived her whole life with her fate written in stone. She would no longer allow that to be the case. Trigon would be defeated, the world would survive, and she would know love. The rest would fall in place as it may.

* * *

Rising, he went to the roof top and turned into a dragon. Looking, he saw the dark that'd stained the form was almost gone. He would be on the lookout for such blood lust and, having felt it once, would be better able to handle it. At least he hoped that was the case.

"_A very useful form_." A dark voice commented in his ear. "_It reflects what's truly in your heart with no distortions. Use it to guide you. Be warned when darkness taints it_."

"_I will_." He replied.

He made his way back to his room and quickly fell asleep. He dreamed of a girl with violet hair and violet eyes. In the dream she was smiling.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Poor Cyborg, all that damage to repair.

Beast Boy got another kiss, and a promise of more.

The Aknarians learned not to mess with a shape shifter who's in love.

Just thought maybe we should meet the aliens who finished destroying the Gordanian ship Beast Boy wrecked, and see what their reactions might be to knowing the Gem was on earth.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	16. Chapter 16

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to reviews:_

_The translation for an oath in this chapter is given at the bottom. Don't want to place it here, but when you read it you might want to also read the translation._

_I don't mean to imply all the other Titans are useless. Starfire can still deal out major damage, Cyborg still has his cannon and is their tech guy, Robin is still the best martial artist and the leader. However, the story is about Beast Boy and Raven, so it's shown from their perspectives. That might make it seem like the rest are out of sight somewhere, but they are still a team working together._

_Time: The next morning._

* * *

_**Waking Up,... Beast Boy's Inner World,... An Oath,... The Summoning of Trigon,... A Puzzled Cyborg,...**_

A single violet eye stared sleepily out from beneath the sheets, glaring at the gaping hole in the wall. Shivering, Raven pulled the sheets tightly around her and incanted a small spell. Soon a warm glow filled her, cancelling out the cold from the wind. _Poor Cyborg. _She mused._That repair job is going to take him at least a week._ A frigid blast overcame her spell, and the violet-haired girl decided enough was enough; reaching for her mirror, she disappeared into a small pocket dimension called Nevermore.

"About time." A dark voice greeted her.

"Morning." Knowledge said, smiling at her as she polished her spectacles.

"Glorious morning." Bubbled Happy with a big grin.

"Morning." A tough sounding voice spoke.

"Good morning." Love calmly greeted her.

"Mornin." A lazy voice drawled.

"Whatever." Burped a rude sounding voice

Timid was in the background; her mouth briefly opened, but no words came out.

"Morning." Raven replied, looking around. She'd hoped this would be a good place to meditate, but it seemed something was up. "Since when do you use Starfire's greeting?" She asked Happy.

The pink-clad emoticlone giggled. "It's way better than just plain good morning. It suits me."

The violet-haired girl gave it some thought. 'It does." She admitted. "So why the gathering?"

"Just grab BB and get him here." Rage ordered demonically.

"Why."

"We would like to speak to him." Knowledge said.

"What about?" Raven asked, wondering if bringing him here would be a good idea. After all, not only was Rude and Sloth present, but Love as well. It would be embarrassing.

Rage sighed. "If you want something done, do it yourself." She angrily muttered to herself, peering off into space for a bit.

* * *

Beast Boy sat silently meditating, hoping to fully cleanse his dragon form of any dark stains. In a few more minutes he would go down to the kitchen and start breakfast. _Hope it goes better than it did yesterday. _He mused.

_"Hey BB." _A dark tone interrupted his thoughts.

_"Hi Rage." _The shape shifter pleasantly replied_._

_"Remember the spell you used when you entered my domain?"_

_"Yeah. Sort of."_

_"Use it now." _The demonic voice ordered_._

_"Why?"_

There was long pause before Rage audibly sighed_. "We're having a meeting and you're invited." _She patiently explained_._

_"Shouldn't I ask Raven first? It's her mind."_

_"She's here, so it would be hard to ask her without coming here first." _The dark voice replied_._

_"Oh. If she's there then I guess it's okay. The spell will work even if I'm not near her?"_

_"It will, no matter how far apart you are."_

Standing, he tried to recall the spell. Immediately words rose to his mind. "_Daemon Per Dominium Sanguis Da Vita Da Mihi Porta Vestram Dominium."_ He silently intoned, sending the words once again to the red-clad emoticlone. The world around him disappeared and he fell. Switching to the form of a dragon, he slowed his fall and landed beside the red-clad emoticlone.

* * *

"How did you get in here?" Raven demanded. "Did you sneak into my room and use my mirror?"

"He came by other methods." Rage replied irritatedly.

"Glorious Morning friend BB." Happy beamed a smile at the shape shifter.

"Morning," Timid dared to say with a slight smile of her own.

"Morning." The others greeted.

"Morning all." He greeted them back.

"I still want to know how he got here if it wasn't by the mirror." The violet-haired girl stated, frowning. That the shape shifter could get into Nevermore at will disturbed her. She glanced at Rude and Sloth and her frown deepened. Love she didn't dare to look at; it might draw Beast Boy's attention to her.

The shape shifter looked at the three emoticlones he'd never seen before. "What emotions do you represent?" He asked, curious.

"Bug off." Rude stated.

"Sloth." Muttered Sloth.

"I'm Love." Love smiled at the boy. "Also called Affection. I'm very happy to finally meet you."

"Please to meet you too." He replied, answering her smile with one of her own.

Raven groaned, blushing a deep red.

Suddenly Beast Boy turned to Knowledge. "This isn't about a rematch is it? Because if it is I'm in."

"Rematch?" The yellow-clad emoticlone asked, turning slightly pale.

"Yeah. Last time it was a draw, but I've had some practice being a dragon now. I want a rematch."

"Some practice." Brave grinned. "Taking down starships. I would like to see that rematch too."

Knowledge glared at Brave. "No, this isn't about a rematch."

"I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch." Rage grinned a demonic smile.

"We don't have time." Knowledge insisted.

"Bleh." The red-clad emoticlone said darkly. "Unfortunate, but true."

"Why are we here?" Raven asked, insisting on an answer.

Knowledge started to explain. "First we would like to see the inside of BB's mind?" She stated, looking at the boy.

Raven looked puzzled. "The inside of his mind? He's not half demon so how could he have a place like Nevermore?"

"He does though." Rage replied. "I sensed it when I possessed him."

"Oh." The violet-haired girl turned to look at the shape shifter.

"Umm." Beast Boy stated nervously, wondering what the inside of his mind was like. "I guess." He finally replied with a sigh, realizing it was only fair; after all, he'd seen Raven's mind. "How?" He asked.

"We create a portal." Rage replied, but we need your permission.

"Okay. He simply said, and soon Knowledge and Rage had create a portal into his mind. The shape shifter stared at it fearfully.

* * *

Soon they were levitating on a black disc created by Raven, looking out over a vast stretch of jungle.

"Wow." Happy said, peering around. "You've got a big head BB." She giggled.

"Very." Rage stated darkly, staring.

Timid just stared, eyes wide. Beast Boy had seen her looking at the portal, obviously wanting to go, and had dragged her with him.

"Interesting." Knowledge said, fixing her spectacles. "But how can it be so large?"

Raven sent the black disc down, flying over the jungle. In it she spotted more than half a dozen sleeping animals, each waiting to be called upon by the shape shifter. "Each time he learns a new shape it gets added to this space." The violet-haired girl suggested. "And it grows to accommodate them. Their strength is added to his, and that means to his inner mind as well."

"As good a theory as any." Knowledge mused, watching the landscape below. "Take us up higher." She ordered.

The violet-haired girl sent the disc rising into the sky. Eventually, looking out across the far-reaching expanse she could see other types of habitats. Deserts to the south, arctic like conditions to the north. To the west there were a number of lakes that led to an ocean. To the east there were mountains. In places a few small plains existed.

"It explains one thing." Rage darkly intoned, her four eyes studying the view.

"What's that?" Raven asked, also still peering around. The mind of the shape shifter was immensely vaster than Nevermore. But then he had hundred of animal forms to populate it with rather than just eight emoticlones.

"He takes on the ability to change into animals." Knowledge explained. "But doing so adds to this, his inner world. It undoubtedly affects other things too. Like maybe adding to his life force, making him immortal."

"Immortal?" Beast Boy asked, puzzled.

Rage nodded. "And it would help that some of his animal shapes are themselves immortal. This place gives him an immense amount of life force to draw on. Some forms, like the dragon, would also see old age as an illness, and cure some of it each time he used it."

"Immortal?" The shape shifter asked again.

"Immortal." Rage told him. "Raven should teach you some spells. With all this life force you might even be nearly as powerful as she is in that aspect. Not quite though, with us being a half demon." She turned to look at the violet-haired girl. "Take us back to Nevermore." She ordered.

* * *

Back in Happy's forest, they all sat down.

"That was one thing we wanted to learn about." Knowledge explained, peering at the shape shifter. "It more than met our expectations."

"The other?" Raven asked, still stunned.

"Hrm." Rage frowned, and started to look a little nervous. "Recall how BB managed to get in here without your permission?" She asked, glancing fearfully at the girl.

"I do." Raven stated, eyes on the red-clad emoticlone.

"Well. I sort of shared blood with him."

"You what!" Raven cried, jumping to her feet, ready to explode.

"Calm down." Knowledge stood between the two, afraid a fight might start. "If she hadn't you would be dead by now."

Growling under her breath, the violet-haired girl backed off. "You know what that means?" She demanded.

"I do. And while I'm glad she did it, at the time it's not something I would've done myself." The yellow-clad emoticlone replied.

Raven sat back down, fuming.

"What does it mean, other than talking and portals?" Beast Boy dared to ask, gulping as he glanced at the annoyed girl.

"I'm a part of Raven." Rage stated. "A half demon. When you defeated me in combat and I shared my blood with you, I gave you dominion over me, over us."

"What do you mean by dominion?" The shape shifter asked, not sure if he like where this was going.

"By the law of blood, you can command us to allow you access to our domains; no matter where we are, or where you are, we're connected for eternity. In some small ways you can even command access to our powers."

He gulped. That sounded pretty serious. "Why?" He asked.

"I knew it was the only way to survive. That Trigon would soon stir again. I had to choose someone to trust absolutely. That was you."

"Hrmph." Raven growled. "I know it saved my life." She fumed violently. "But I ..." She trailed off.

"Can the tie be revoked." Beast Boy asked.

"It can." Knowledge said. "But that is not our desire at the moment. Rather we wish to reaffirm it."

"What!" Raven exclaimed. "Revoke it you idiots. Revoke it." She yelled, eyes glaring.

"The tie signifies absolute trust." Knowledge said. "We want you to share your blood with Raven."

"What?" The violet-haired girl cried again. "No! Not in a million years."

"Two people with domains, such as Nevermore and your inner world, when joined by such a means can share power. Also they can cross into each others domains at will. Nothing can break the bond unless the two do so willingly. No prison can keep them apart." Knowledge added. "Imagine what that means. Should you be in danger you can escape it by entering Nevermore, even across dimensions. And she will be able to do the same."

"Useful." Beast Boy admitted, looking at Raven. She was shivering in fury. He also thought she was embarrassed for some reason.

Rage spoke in her dark tone again. "Immortal or not, as you both know, you can each die. To fight Trigon every weapon at our disposal must be used. The link will allow you to defy any prison and escape any trap. And should Beast Boy learn to use magic it will enhance it greatly." She shrugged. "Choose Raven. Share blood, or risk the death of all you love."

"I will share." Came the calm reply.

The sudden calmness made everyone look at her.

"I trust him absolutely." She replied. "And if you're right, it's something we would've done eventually anyway."

She reached down and pulled a small jagged stone from the ground. Soon the palm of her hand was bleeding. Beast Boy followed suit. When their blood mingled, they both swore an oath. "_In Aeternitate Cum Sanguis Summus Juctim Tamquam Unum; Mea Vires Est Suus Vires, Suus Vires Est Mea Vires; Absolute Confido, Absolute Amare. Summus Unum." _They chanted together. As their blood mingled, they each felt a slight moment of dizziness, and a sensation of power coursing its way through their veins.

Happy suddenly leapt up and starting jumping around even more excited that usual. She grabbed Brave's hand and pulled into a dance. "Ya, ya, ya." She chanted. "Raven and BB married."

"What!" Exclaimed Beast Boy, eyes going wide in shock. He turned to look at Raven.

"If we were demons we would be." She replied, blushing deeply, not looking at him. "Don't go thinking it means anything." The violet-haired girl growled. "It's just to help us fight Trigon." She gulped, still bright red. _Though if Rage and Knowledge are right, one day we will for real,... _The girl mused to herself, and her heart suddenly started racing.

"Right." The shape shifter gulped, also a bright red.

Happy suddenly froze and concentrated. One of the floating strawberries that roamed her forest exploded into a shower of rose petals, covering the two. "Ya, ya, ya." She chanted again. "Raven and BB married."

"There's a third thing we wanted to do also." Rage darkly intoned.

"What now?" Raven demanded tiredly, obviously not able to handle any more surprises.

"This is for Beast Boy alone. Another riddle, but one you won't be able to answer until he does." Came the dark reply.

"A riddle?" The violet-haired girl asked.

The red-clad emoticlone nodded. "What's the different between an angel and a demon?" She asked in her demonic voice.

"Easy. One is good, one is evil." Raven stated.

A slight smile crossed Rage's lips. "You won't know the answer until he does." She turned to look at the shape shifter. "For a clue, look to your dragon form."

"What does that mean?" Raven asked, getting frustrated.

"You've spent enough time here." Knowledge interrupted. "I'm sure the others are up and about in the real world. And I sense things will be hectic today. Trigon will make a move. Be prepared."

* * *

"Morning." Beast Boy and Raven greeted Cyborg as they entered the kitchen.

"Morning." Came the tired reply. Despite being half mechanical, the cyborg was still half human, and his human half was obviously nearing its limits.

"Up all night fixing the tower?" The shape shifter asked, setting to work preparing his and Raven's breakfast.

"Didn't get it started." Cyborg replied, watching closely as the green-skinned Titan pulled out a pack of herbal teabags and placed one in front of Raven.

"Why not?" The girl intoned.

"Other things came up. Like a lunatic cult that worships Trigon setting up shop in the city."

"Oh." She frowned slightly. "What're they up to?"

"Don't know. They haven't broken any laws yet, but I've been up all night keeping an eye on the situation."

Frowning, Beast Boy prepared waffles which he evenly divided between him and Raven. He filled her cup with hot water.

"Thanks." She intoned, a small smile tugging at the edges of her lips as she dipped her teabag into the cup.

The shape shifter smiled back at her and sat down to eat. "They go anywhere near the old temple?" He asked Cyborg.

"Not that I've detected. In fact they seem to be avoiding the area."

Alarms sounded throughout the tower, as well as on their communicators. Turning as one, all three looked up the main display in the room. There were more than a hundred blinking lights on the map of the city.

"It seems they've finally done something illegal." Cyborg said, staring. "With just the five of them there was no way to respond to all the emergencies."

"Distractions." Beast Boy said, hurrying to finish his breakfast. He noticed Raven cramming waffles in her mouth too in a manner very unlike her.

"Definitely." She replied, mouth full. "They can't do anything unless it's at the temple. Whatever is going on in the city, the main event will take place there."

"I agree." Cyborg said. "But can we ignore all of that?" He pointed at the screen where more lights had started flashing.

"We don't." Robin said, entering the room at a run. "It's just ordinary people committing those crimes. Starefire will handle it. She can fly to each spot and hit the perpetrators with a low intensity starbolt, stunning them. She won't get them all, but she will cut down on their numbers for the next time. And if any of them confess we might be able to round them all up.." He turned towards the door, racing for his motorcycle.

* * *

The four Titans entered the temple with dread. Facing the very manifestation of evil, it was the right thing to feel. From Robin's frequent calls to the orange-skinned alien they knew Starfire was really racking up the count on captured criminals. Flying at high-speed, she was stunning two, or even three, per minute. Now it was their turn to fulfill their part of the plan.

"There's around thirty people ahead." Beast Boy said, turning back from the form of a bloodhound.

"If they're just ordinary people, it'll be no problem to stop them." Cyborg added.

"Maybe." Raven intoned. "But remember, Trigon is on their side, and he wouldn't act unless he thought he could win."

"Oh. Right." Cyborg gulped.

Beast Boy heard the chanting first, followed by the cybernetic teen. Soon all four of them heard it.

"_**The Gem was born of evil's fire,**_

_**The Gem shall be his portal,**_

_**He comes to claim, he comes to sire,**_

_**The end of all things mortal!"**_

"I hate that prophecy." Raven intoned apathetically.

"I can understand why." Beast Boy replied, frowning as he took a quick glance at the girl.

They left the tunnel, and emerged in a chamber. Around it twenty-six people where chanting; thirteen the prophecy, and thirteen some incantation that caused the Titans a sense of foreboding. To them it sounded like random words in some strange language, yet it spoke of pure evil. Hearing it, all four of them had difficulty breathing, and a shudder of fear ran through them. On the inner edge of a circle, drawn on the floor of the immense cavern, there were four teenage girls; all looked petrified.

"Damn." Raven said, turning white. "They're summoning him again, and those girls are sacrifices. Stop them!" She reached out with her power, feeling it obey her command with ease. It hit a barrier formed around the circle and stopped. The violet-haired girl upped the power, and struggled desperately to penetrate it; if she failed, then those four girls would die a horrifying death.

Beast Boy changed into his dragon form and unleashed fire at the worshippers. The shape shifter noted the form had changed, but had no time to give it consideration. His dragon breath tore through the floor in front of the chanting zealots, causing it to erupt in bits of shattered rock. The chanters were all knocked backwards, half unconscious.

"Too late." Raven muttered, throwing all she had into her attempt to penetrate the barrier.

The fury of a dragon joined her in the struggle, as Beast Boy hurled white hot flame at the glowing shield. Inside, a mist arose, and the form of Trigon took shape.

"Precious daughter." The demon smiled. "How nice to meet you again."

"It's never nice to meet you." Raven cried. "And I am not your daughter." She struggled in vain to pierce the shield.

"My darling portal, is that any way to greet your father?" The gigantic being grinned. "Yield, and perhaps I shall spare the lives of your friends."

"You're not free." The violet-haired girl cried. "Soon the power they used to summon you will fade, and you'll be back rotting in your prison."

"Maybe." The fierce being shrugged. "But I won't be alone. They should make a nice snack." He peered down at the four teenage girls. Two of who had fainted; the other two had their backs against the barrier, screaming. A thunderous laugh shook the cavern. "This shall be such fun, dear daughter. They shall die, and you will know it was your fault. The guilt you will feel will be immense. Crippling even." A smile crossed its lips. "Such a delicious meal, and such delicious fun."

Beast Boy upped the level of flame he was throwing against the shield, focusing on the need to protect Raven from the guilt her father would place on her. For all her aloofness, he knew the girl would indeed be crippled by the guilt. It was futile; the flame of a mere dragon against the power of being who, evil as he may be, was a god.

Raven sought to penetrate the shield, knowing it was useless, yet unwilling to face defeat without a battle. She'd decided she would fight her fate, and so she would. Her black magic poured forth against the barrier with a force she'd never felt before. Still it wasn't enough.

The being inside laughed. "Tell me my precious Gem, would you care to make a deal?"

"I'll never bargain with a monster like you." Her power poured forth in vain, and her frustration grew. Those four girls were younger than even she was, and the absolute terror on their faces was heart wrenching.

"Surely my precious portal, you would like to save the lives of those four pests." His smiled ghoulishly, knowing there could be only one response.

"What's the deal?" She asked, heart trembling.

"I will allow you inside my barrier. Fight me and win, and all shall go free. Lose and you're mine. I gain my freedom at the next proper alignment of the stars, and bring an end to all things mortal."

Raven gasped, and ceased her futile attack on the shield. If she accepted she risked the whole world, yet those four faces filled with terror left only one response. "Okay." Thew violet-haired girl calmly intoned.

"No. Beast Boy yelled, reaching for her. His arms closed around thin air as she vanished, only to reappear inside the shield. He turned in wrath, and struck at it with the full fury of his dragon's breath again and again. As before, nothing happened. Vaguely he was aware of the repeated firing of the cybernetic teen's sonic cannon; explosions rang out from the barrier as their leader tossed explosive disc after explosive disc. Against the power of god, it was futile.

"Now, precious daughter. Show me your power, and face defeat."

She struck with all that she had, and her fury surprised even her. From the look on his face it also surprised Trigon.

"Impressive, my darling portal." He commented, blocking her attack with his arm. "Such power. In my view of the mortal world you did not possess this much strength."

The violet-haired girl frowned, thinking as she raged against the demon before her. _The link. _She realized. _Her oath with Beast Boy oath had increased each of their power dramatically. His dragon form was now sixteen feet in height, while her own dark magic was considerably stronger. _She flung it forth with every ounce of strength she had, and still it wasn't enough; not even close.

"However you've learned such power, it's time I had some fun too, my darling Gem." The manifestation turned his eyes on her, and fire lanced down_._

She rolled away from it, knowing her own barrier would be useless against such an onslaught. Strangely she could detect his actions almost before they happened. His every movement gave them away. A twitch of an eye, the flexing of a muscle in his legs as he turned, ... She could read his body posture with a clarity that was frightening. _The link. _She realized once again; Beast Boy's natural ability to fight. The fire came at her again and again; each time she easily rolled out of the way, knowing where to dodge instinctively. The outpouring of fire stopped.

"Once again, my darling daughter, you impress me." The gigantic figure stared down at her. "However, in the end I will alway win." He smiled a gruesome smile. "For now my time in this dimension is over, and all within this circle shall be imprisoned with me."

Raven gasped, looking around. The cavern was vanishing only to be replaced with a world of fire.

"Welcome, precious gem, to the hell Azar sentenced me too. Until the next alignment of the stars, this too is your home." He laughed. "Now to enjoy my snack." A large red hand reached down for one of the girls who were immobilized with terror.

The violet-haired half demon sent her magic against the manifestation of evil once again. It was futile, but it would keep him busy; at least until she ran out of energy and collapsed. "The fight isn't over yet." She declared. "I might not be able to beat you, but I will struggle to my last breath. You will have nothing but my corpse. No Gem, and no portal." Her eyes blazed and dark magic roiled out of her mouth. All her will and strength was poured forth against the hated demon before her. He staggered back, showing surprise at her strength once again. Yet the onslaught did no harm.

"Impressive." He muttered again. "How do you have such power?"

Raven blinked, coming to her senses. "That is nothing." She smiled up at her father. "Watch me do what you've failed to do for ten thousand years." Her power reached out and pulled the four girls to her. They vanished from the fiery prison.

* * *

"We lost." Robin exclaimed, watching as the demonic figure faded away along with Raven and the four girls. Purpose suddenly filled him and he turned to the others. "Okay, we need to find out when the next star alignment that Trigon can use is. And we need to find a way to beat him. Cyborg, interrogate the prisoners and find out what they know. Beast Boy you're a natural at finding people's weaknesses, try to find his. I will group with Starfire and we'll do another search of any records on file at the Jumpy City Library."

"Wait." Beast Boy said, smiling. He recalled what Rage had told him earlier. '_The link will allow you to defy any prison and escape any trap_.' He felt something change, and knew he now carried Raven within him. A second later a portal opened and the violet-haired girl stepped forth, carrying four unconscious teenage girls with the aid of her dark magic.

"I'll best he's pretty mad right now." The shape shifter said.

Raven's lips turned up in a tiny smile. "Undoubtedly." She intoned.

* * *

They sat together meditating. After a while Raven decided it was time to leave and get some sleep. It'd been a long day.

"Wait." Beast Boy stood and approached, staring into her eyes. "I know the bond is supposed to cross all barriers, but that prison was built to hold Trigon. Did you know it would work."

"I didn't think about it when I accepted the deal." She honestly replied. "And when I did recall it I wasn't sure. As you said, it isn't an ordinary dimension."

The shape shifter smiled. "So you chose what you believed was a fate worse than death for almost no chance to save four girls." He shook head. "You know Raven, you're one amazing woman." He leaned close and kissed her. "Very amazing." He repeated, pulling away. "Night wife." He joked.

"Night husband." She joked back, heart racing as she smiled into his eyes. She turned and walked towards her room. On the way she passed Cyborg who turned to stare at the girl who was still smiling.

Raven uncharacteristically tossed herself on her bed, wondering how to describe her day. The oath she'd sworn with Beast Boy. The fight with her father; the thought of his fury as she'd vanished from his prison with his sacrifices. That nearly made her giggle. Her hand reached up to touch her lips. And then there was the fact that Beast Boy had called her amazing, that he'd kissed her. None of her usually ways of describing a day fitted this one, so she picked one that the shape shifter might use; this day, she decided, had been incredible. She drifted off to sleep smiling.

* * *

End of Chapter.

The oath they swore: _In Eternity By Blood,Are We Joined Together As One; My Power Is Their Power, Their Power Is My Power; Absolute Trust, Absolute Love. We are One.'_ Oh, and I'm totally clueless about latin. I only write what I want in English, and then replace the words or phrases as best I can using google. So if anyone actually knows latin and it reads as garbage, that's why.

Marriage? I bet that came as a surprise. At least it did to Beast Boy.

And another riddle: What's the different between an angel and a demon?

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	17. Chapter 17

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Notes and replies to reviews:_

_Nothing in the story is meant to have any religious significance. But Trigon is described as a demon, so that's what I've got to work with._

_Problem with Beast Boy using Rage's blood to turn into a demon/angel is that she's female. I think that would be a bit too interesting for this story. He would be a female demon. The same applies with turning into a Tamaranian. He can't use Starfire's DNA, and I'm assuming he didn't get any male DNA when he was on Tamaran._

_Time: The next morning._

* * *

_**Another Meeting,... Trigon's Makes a Move,... A Circle,... A Fight,... An End to Time,...**_

It was early morning and the two of them, along with Raven's eight emoticlones, were having another meeting in Happy's forest in Nevermore.

"So just how tough is Trigon?" Beast Boy asked, stretching out on the grass, enjoying the strange view of a yellow sky with pink clouds.

"He's immortal." Knowledge replied, fixing her spectacles.

"Yeah. But according to you and Rage, so are Raven and I. That doesn't mean we can't be killed."

"Unfortunately in his case, that's exactly what it means." Rage replied, her dark tone filled with anger as she spoke of the demon who'd sired her.

"Really?" Beast Boy turned on his side to look at her.

"It does." The red-clad emoticlone replied. "He's the manifestation of evil. So long as one person remains alive whose heart contains evil, then he will exist. He can't be destroyed."

"Scratch plan number one." The shape shifter sighed.

"Which was?" Raven asked, eyes gazing at the teen.

"Summon him again, and then hit him with something big." He shrugged. "Like maybe a nuclear weapon. Or even use a ship for the circle and drop it in the sun. I would've though that would kill him."

"Sorry." Knowledge said. "He can feel pain when good opposes him, but he can't die. Even if his body was totally destroyed, it would just reform from the evil that exists in the universe."

"That's kinda hard to beat." Beast Boy admitted.

"Yeah. Like I said once before, if it was easy Azar would've done it long ago." Raven kept eying the boy, knowing Love was looking at her with a knowing grin. _Oh the heck with it. _The violet-haired girl decided. Rising from her sitting place, she dropped back to the ground with her head resting against the shape shifter's chest. She knew he wouldn't push her away, but the fear was still there.

Beast Boy froze as the half demon used his chest as a pillow, for a brief second he was unsure of what to do. Then he smiled, and let his hand run through the violet hair that'd always fascinated him.

She froze, feeling the touch, expecting he would push her away. A second later, if she'd been a cat, she would've been purring. Around the clearing there was silence as all eight of her emoticlone closed their eyes and sighed, feeling what she was feeling. Even Rage had a slight smile on her lips.

"If we can't kill him, then what can we do other than wait until one of his plans succeeds?" The very content shape shifter asked.

"Find a ship and run, like you suggested." Raven commented. "That would keep us safe, but he would still be able to hurt people."

"Conquer every world in this dimension, and squash all his worshipers." Rage suggested, quite serious. "That would keep people from offering him sacrifices."

"Now there's an idea." Beast Boy mused. "Wonder how hard it would be."

"We're the good guys." Raven stated. "We don't conquer worlds." She paused. "Though if it worked then I might go for it. But even if you ruled all the worlds in this dimension, some people would still worship him and there would still be evil."

"True." Mused the green-skin Titan. "So no ruling the universe."

'"Bleh!" The red-clad emoticlone replied darkly. "I still think that's the best plan yet."

Raven sighed. "You know, it probably is. It's just not feasible." She hated agreeing with the symbol of hate and rage within her.

"What is the difference between an angel and a demon?" The shape shifter mused. "If I could figure that out, would it keep him from breaking out of that prison of his."

"No." Knowledge replied. "But it would make it a lot more difficult for him since you would be able to fight him head on. He would still be indestructible, and would still have legions of followers."

The shape shifter gulped. "Fight something like that head on. That's impossible."

"No." Rage replied in her demonic tone. "It's possible, for each of you."

"I only beat him before because he was still weak from being in prison." Raven commented. "And he was surprised I still existed, let alone could fight."

"So he's weaker in that prison dimension." Beast Boy asked.

"Yeah. It blocks some of his power." Rage said.

"So if we do have to fight him, then that's the best place?" The shape shifter wondered.

"Maybe." Knowledge mused, pushing her spectacles back up. "But given time it would also block some of your power."

"If the fight was quick it wouldn't though." Rage added.

He ran his hand through the head of violet hair again, hoping it wasn't annoying her. It was irresistable. Around him the emoticlone got dreamy looks on their faces.

"So he can be countered." Beast Boy noted. "That that dimension blocks some of his power proves it. Can we place another dimension around it for double the affect?"

"Sorry." Raven replied, eyes closed. "Dimensions and portals don't work like that."

"Oh." He sighed. "Too bad we can't just stop time in his dimension like he did on earth."

Rage blinked, while Knowledge looked thoughtful.

"That would take an immense amount of power." The red-clad emoticlone commented.

"More than just immense." Knowledge admitted. "But what if it wasn't forever. What if they just froze it for a short time, and then renewed the spell every decade or so?"

"Still would take more power than we got." Rage said darkly. "He's an immortal, and stopping time for him wouldn't be like stopping it for a mortal. You would need to keep him from countering it, and that would take someone with power equal to his own."

"As Raven said, if it were easy someone would've already done it." Knowledge sighed.

"Back to square one." Beast Boy commented, gazing happily at the head of violet hair resting on him. He was more than content, as was the violet-haired girl.

* * *

"Morning." Beast Boy and Raven greeted Cyborg in the kitchen.

"Morning." The cybernetic teen replied. He watched as the shape shifter once again put the kettle on to boil, and went about preparing pancakes. "You two are getting along pretty well." He commented.

"Don't we always." Raven intoned apathetically.

"No." Cyborg replied.

Beast Boy shrugged, "How're the repairs going?"

"Security system back to normal. I'll get to work on the holes in the wall today."

"Good." Raven commented impassively.

"Would help, but I would probably break more than I fix." The shape shifter replied.

The cybernetic teen shuddered violently. "Please stay any from anything dealing with electronics." He begged.

"I will."

The sound of pancakes frying filled the kitchen. When they were done Beast Boy split them between two plates, and gave one to Raven.

"Thanks." She intoned, with a slight smile. One day, she decided, she would get him to teach her how to cook so she could do her fair share.

"Friends! News most dire!" Starfire flew into the room, shouting.

"What's wrong Star?" Cyborg asked.

Beast Boy looked up at Raven, who stared back. Both of them started eating as fast as they could, knowing it was going to be another rushed breakfast.

"The Gordanians have assembled another fleet of war." The orange-skinned girl exclaimed. "They plan to sacrifice a whole world to Trigon."

Raven gulped, and coughed out a mouthful of pancakes. "How many on the world?" She asked, going pale.

"Ten billion." The frantic Tamaranian cried.

"That would be bad." Raven sighed, eyes close. "How can they do it without creating a circle."

"I'm not sure. I think they will use beams of lights." Starfire gulped. "We must stop them."

"If they did that ..." The violet-haired girl shuddered. "With such a sacrifice, and such a circle, he would be able to remain in this dimension for a century or more. He would be trapped on that one world, but the harm he could do ..." She shuddered again, face pure white.

"How many ships?" Cyborg asked?

Three hundred."

"Oh." The cybernetic teen replied. "I think that's a bit out of our league."

"For sure." Beast Boy muttered. "Don't whoever they're attacking have any defenses?"

"They do, but Trigon knows all and can they can't fight that." The orange-skinned girl sat down, bordering on crying.

"When will they attack?" Raven asked.

"In two hours."

Raven stared across at Beast Boy, her eyes pleading. He nodded, and smiled at her.

"Starfire, we wouldn't even be able to get to the fight in that amount of time." Cyborg explained, frowning.

"Would they be able to defend themselves if Trigon wasn't guiding them?" Raven asked.

"They would. The people to be attacked are great engineers, and are very powerful. If Trigon was not leading the Gordanain ships they could easily defend themselves."

Raven sighed, causing Cyborg and Starfire to look at her. "In two hours?" She asked.

Starfire nodded. "That is when the fleet of war will reach the Aknarian home world. The battle will begin then."

"Those guys again." Mused Beast Boy.

"We'll be busy for a bit. Don't disturb us." Raven intoned, pulling Beast Boy along with her. His hand in hers was comforting, and she needed that given she was about to commit suicide. The other two stared after them.

"Wait." The shape shifter said. He looked back. "Starfire. How long would the Aknarians need to destroy the Gordanian fleet?"

"Not long. They are not good fighters, but the weapons they have around their world are powerful. Moreso than that of any other race we know of. If Trigon were not leading the fleet of war it would be destroyed in twenty minutes or less." She looked at them with hope in her eyes. "Why?" She asked.

"See you later." He let Raven pull him from the room.

* * *

Nearly two hours later they'd talked with the emoticlones, and had made a simple plan. Raven, as the portal, would create a pathway to Trigon's domain. Together her and Beast Boy would attack and keep him busy for a short while; hopefully it would be long enough for the Aknarians to decimate the attacking fleet. If they could, the two of them would try to escape; if not, then they would die together.

"You sure?" The violet-haired girl asked, looking at him.

"I'm sure. But one thing first." He leaned over and kissed her. "Just in case we don't get another chance." He smiled.

Her heart fluttered, and despite the situation she couldn't help but smile back. "Twenty minutes." She said.

He nodded. "And then we try to flee."

She reached out her hand, and focused her power. Unlike the people who worship the manifestation of evil, she didn't need twenty-six people to create a link to that fiery prison of fire. In seconds the air wavered, and a dark passage opened. Looking at it she gulped. "One more she said." And pulled the shape shifter closer for another kiss.

He grinned at her, and she grinned back. Then they walked hand-in-hand through the portal, and into the domain of the ultimate evil.

* * *

"Welcome daughter." The towering figure said. "What a surprise."

"He must be getting senile." Beast Boy said to Raven. "I mean he sees everything, so he must've seen you open the portal."

"Yeah." She agreed. "He saw it and forgot. Definitely senile." She stared at the imposing figure.

"You dare mock me?" Trigon roared.

"Just pointing out the facts." The shape shifter replied with a shrug.

"Die." A blast of fire roared down at Beast Boy.

Reflexively he changed into a dragon, and took to the air. He kept two hundred feet from the giant figure, nimbly avoiding the attacks. At that range, with his acute senses telling him how the demonic figure would strike, he was in little danger. He roared back with dragon fire, but as expected it did little damage. _What is the difference between an angel and a demon. _He wondered as he dodged, knowing he needed the answer now. _And how does it relate to my dragon form?_ He evaded another lance of fire, and threw one of his own back.

Raven waited, knowing the battle had yet to begin. The air changed, and she knew someone was trying to summon her accursed father out of his prison. Reaching out, she used her own power to disrupt the energies forming around them.

"How dare you." Trigon roared down at her, his faced twisted in fury. His focus changed from the shape shifter to his own daughter.

The violet-haired girl dodged, using the animal instincts that came from her other half. Several blasts of fire came at her, and each one was avoided. When she felt the energies that would summon the demon fill the air again, she reached out with her dark magic and once more disrupted them. "Your people will die without your help." She screamed up at him.

"What do I care about pests?" The words were followed with a massive onslaught of red beams of energy.

"You care about the sacrifices they offer you. When they're gone, there'll be no more." She rolled out of the path of an attack that missed her by inches. Her arm burned as if sunburned.

"There will always be those who desire power, and come to me for it." He countered, trying to physically grab her. "A few Gordanians are nothing."

"A few? Three hundred ships worth. How many lives is that in a year that will live? How much power will you lose?" She gave a short laugh. It felt good to see her father in such a rage; too bad she would probably die here.

Beast Boy swooped down close, and exhaled fire at the back of Trigon. At ten feet it made as little difference as at two hundred. No weapon he had could hurt his hated foe, and unlike Raven he had no plans to die here today; nor to see her die. Righteous fury, Rage had told him, yet it wasn't enough. In desperation, he dared to switch to the six-armed alien Torkop and unleash acid. It ran down the back of the gigantic figure as if it was merely water. Back in his dragon form he swooped away, trying to figure out Rage's riddle. It wouldn't be something so simple as one is good while the other is evil. It had to be more fundamental than that.

The violet-haired girl felt the energies build, and reach out to disrupt them once more. Several close hits had made her skin turn red in places, but it was worth it. And if they could hold out for a mere twenty minutes, ten billion lives would be spared. It was worth the cost. She tried to send her power against her father, but it merely washed over his skin, doing nothing. A growl erupted from her lips; it was so frustrating trying to fight something that couldn't be harm. _You're harming him. _She told herself. _Each less sacrifice means less power, and he'd going to lose ten billion of them. See his futile fury. _Raven grinned, and felt herself renewed. Moving with incredible agility, she evaded another attack.

"How can you dodge my attacks." The enraged figure demanded, sending down waves of fury as bright red bolts of energy.

The onslaught nearly caught her, but it merely tore through her robe as she ran. Another red burn rose on her leg. "Must be getting slow in your old age." She yelled, laughing hysterically.

Howling, with eyes showing pure madness, the demon lashed down at her. The glowing red earth shattered, and pieces hit her. _Need to be more careful. _She reminded herself, bleeding from several small slashes. Feeling the energies needed to summon the demon rise once more, she reach out and disrupted them. The crazed scream that came from Trigon was music to her ears.

"If you fail them, they will know you're weak." The panting, violet-haired, girl yelled up. "They will all abandon you."

"Fool." Came the roared answer. "Precious Gem, you shall pay."

The shape shifter screamed in frustration, watching as the one who he treasured above all else fought a hopeless battle; unable to aid her as her skin was burned and slashed. Yet she didn't yield; she stood bravely and fought, as beautiful as any angel. _And she is an angel. _He though, as he raked his talon across Trigon's back. They left no mark.

Turning, he sent forth his breath again. It flared over the demon's back, leaving it unblemished. _Demons and angels and dragons. _His mind turned the three words over and over. _What was the riddle Rage gave me when I was supposed to gain the dragon form? Not all creatures are real? _He whirled away from the fight and flew a short distance off. Standing back he hurled more flame. He blinked, watching the two fight before him. _She was an angel, and he was a demon; but what was an angel and what was a demon? How could he decide the difference if he didn't know what he was comparing?_ _I love her; she makes my hear sing; she's an angel. _He shook his head. There was nothing mystical in his description of her. Her bravery touch him, her strength inspired him. But to him she was just Raven. He stared at the gigantic figure fighting her. _What then is Trigon? _He wondered. Dragons aren't real, and angels and demons are just words to describe things. _What is Trigon? Calling him a demon is meaningless. Slade was evil, but was he a demon? No. Neither is Trigon. What is he? _The thought bounced around in his head.

_"Funny you should ask." _A dark tone whispered in his ear.

"_Rage?" _He asked.

"_Who else?" _Came the demonic reply, touched with a hint of humor. "_You asked the question, what is Trigon? Would you like to know?"_

"_Yes." _The shape shifter replied, demanding an answer.

"_Ever wonder why all the intelligent races are so similar? Human, Tamaran, Aknarian, Gordanian. They all have two legs and two arms. Every wonder why you can change into alien creatures that were born a million light years away? Given the laws of evolution, any alien should be so different as to be incomprehensible. Yet Starfire can fall for Robin, a demon can breed with a human."_

"_I have_." He admitted, twisting around to throw more fire at his foe's back.

"_They all have the same source; were made by the same race. Trigon's race_." Came the dark reply.

He blinked, stunned. "_What?" _He asked.

"_Trigon is the last survivor of the first intelligent species to be born in this dimension. When you first saw me, he'd possessed me. But I also heard things from his mind." _Rage almost sounded like she was chuckling. "_A mere emoticlone was beneath his notice, so he never saw me watching his thoughts."_

The shape shifter automatically launched another attack, too stunned to do much else.

"_Imagine a race born a billion year before any other, unlocking the natural laws of creation. They would be beyond comprehension. Now imagine they learned how to become immortal, not just living forever, but becoming unkillable. That is the race that monster was born from._" Rage's dark voice explained.

"_But why is he the last?" _Beast Boy asked, tired of exhaling fire but not knowing what else to do. "_If they were unkillable ..."_

"_Greed." _Came the reply. "_To be immortal, they needed something that was immortal to feed upon. So they seeded the worlds of this dimension with species genetically altered from their own DNA. Each intelligent being was given the capacity for evil, and this was what they based their immortality on. But even in all the vastness of the universe there was only so much evil, and that first race knew greed. They fought over that power, and Trigon, the worse of them, was the last one left. He then claimed all the power for himself."_

The shape shifter wondered how that could help them.

_"What does the form of a dragon do?" _Rage demanded_._

_'It reflects what's truly in my heart." _He replied without thinking.

_"Precisely. You know what to do."_ Her voice faded.

Beast Boy peered down at the demon below, knowing the term was just a word. That the terrifying being was just another creature. Watching, he saw Raven fall, and Trigon prepare to lash out at her.

The violet-haired girl twisted and dodged, disrupting the energies needed to summon the monster when they formed. _How much time has passed? _She wondered, knowing she was at her limit. Her skin was badly burned in places, and she was red from blood. She had no time to spare to look at her watch. Then weariness made her trip, and her father's wrath was about to fall on her. It never came.

_It's just another creature. _The shape shifter told himself, and that washed away the fear the term demon inspired in all things mortal. What was below wasn't a demon; it was just another villain. For as long as he could remember he'd tried not to take DNA from the villains he'd fought, afraid it might taint him. But now he knew it couldn't. What he took was just forms, and his heart was left untouched should he so choose. His hand reached out, and gently caressed the back of Trigon. It was just a creature, made of DNA, like all his forms. He was given choice, and he choose to follow Raven, whether it be in darkness or in light.

Trigon backed away, knowing fear, as he faced a creature as powerful as he himself was.

The shape shifter towered above the ground, nearly the same height as the one he'd once called a demon. He had four eyes, but they were merely larger version of his own green ones. His skin was the same pure silver as the hide of the dragon he could become, while long hair of a dark green flowed down his back. His fingers ended with vicious claws, and sharp fangs were visible in his mouth, for he was by nature a fighter. Long ears, much like his human ones, twitched and focused on his prey. He'd chosen to follow Raven, and she was in his heart an angel; so he'd chosen the light. Trigon's people had used evil to fuel their immortality; he'd decided to use love.

"Beast Boy." Raven asked, staring up. "He's a demon how could ..." She gulped and paused.

"There're no angels and no demons." The shape shifter replied, eyes focused on Trigon. "There's just good and evil, and what's in our hearts. And he's just another villain that we're going to put away."

She frowned. "No demons? But ..."

"I'm the same as he is, and I'm no demon. Could I love you so much if I were?"

"If there're no demons then ..." She reached up and wiped blood from her eyes. The violet-haired girl looked at the red stain it left on her hand.

"Then you're blood isn't tainted. You're just you. Accept it."

"_I'm tired of waiting_." A dark voice whispered in her ear. "_Unite us. Become who you were meant to be_."

She felt all her emoticlone flow into her, including Rage. "Let's put this villain behind bars." Raven said, a bright light glowing between her hands.

"You think you can face an immortal?" Trigon roared.

"Yes." The two spoke as one.

Beast Boy slashed with his claws, creating four rivers of blood that poured down the monster's back. Unkillable didn't meant he couldn't be hurt, only that the wounds would heal. Another slash left one side of Trigon's face a gaping wound with two of his eyes gone. He stepped forward and slashed again. This time across the chest and stomach.

Trigon recovered from his shock, and sent forth a devastating blast of flame. Not stopping he immediately followed it with glowing rays of red light.

The shape shifter, watching with the instincts of an animals, easily avoided the counterattack. Rushing in, he slashed once more and the other side of the villain's face disappeared in a spray of blood. Already the first wounds were healing, but now it was certain they could contain the so-called demon until the home world of the Aknarians was safe. That, for now, was enough.

She floated in an aura of light, giving the appearance of what many would call an angel. A mistress of magic she chanted and watched. Even if he hadn't been rendered blind, Trigon was too busy to notice what she was doing. And that was fine with her. Around her feet the ground turned to grey stone, and then it started to spread. She changed the spell slightly, commanding it to turn not all mortals to stone, but all those evil of heart. As Beast Boy fought, she did her part. Soon there was silence.

"Lets go." Beast Boy said, back in his human form.

"It won't hold forever." Raven told him, once again wearing a cloak of blue. "There's a lot of evil in the world, and not even love can seal it for long."

"Long enough. In a thousand years when the spell ends, we'll be back." He took her hand.

She nodded, and they took one last look at the stone form of Trigon before they left, hand-in-hand, through the same portal they'd entered in.

* * *

They sat in the forest of Nevermore once again. Raven laid with her head resting on Beast Boy's shoulder as they talked to the emoticlones.

"You knew from the time you were possessed how to defeat Trigon." Beast Boy said, looking at Rage.

"I knew." The red-clad emoticlone admitted in her dark tone. Guessing the next question, she continued. "But I needed someone able to carry out the task. It was pure luck that brought you to me. And pure luck that you and Raven were so suited to each other. Without that all my knowledge would've been useless. Especially given the way I was caged."

"Sorry." The violet-haired girl said, now able to look her darkest aspect in the eye without fear.

Rage shrugged. "It gave me time to plan and prepare." She turned back to looking at Beast Boy. "You were so afraid of being tainted by evil that you refused to use the forms of villains, no matter how useful they might be. You had to be led to a point where you could accept using Trigon's DNA."

"I see." The shape shifter said, stroking the head of violet hair that rested on his shoulder.

"And the mirror was a trap." Knowledge added. "I can see that now. He was creating a being second in power only to himself. It was meant to fragment her, and keep her from her true potential. He was afraid of her."

Rage nodded. "He broke her power into nine fragments. Raven herself, and eight emoticlones."

"Whatever." Raven said, looking around. "I like things the way they are, so I'm glad they turned out the way they did."

"Me too." Beast Boy said, gazing at the girl. He wouldn't change a thing.

* * *

End of Chapter.

Trigon imprisoned in a way that keeps him from affecting anything for a thousand years.

One more chapter left.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


	18. Chapter 18

**I do NOT own Teen Titans**

_Time: Six weeks later._

* * *

_**Breakfast,... Adonis Once Again,... Raven Goes to the Mall of Shopping,... A Party,...**_

Tofu bacon sizzled in the pan along with tofu eggs. Knowing people had been created to be nothing more than food for a psychotic race had made the violet-haired girl rethink her position on eating meat. While her body needed it, she tried to keep it to a minimum. Sorting the meal onto two plates, she placed one in front of Beast Boy who'd been watching her. Only a few months before that would've annoyed her, but now she loved it when he watched her. Smiling, she took a seat across from him. Around the others she still put on her usual facade, but with him it wasn't needed. She now knew her powers were her and hers alone. Unless she choose to, there was no reason for them to run out of control, and that was something she would never do.

"Perfect." Beast Boy told her, biting into the bacon.

"I had to get it right eventually." Raven muttered with a slight smile tugging at her lips. Before having the shape shifter try to teach her to cook, she'd never done more than boil water for her herbal tea. A lot of ruined attempts had either been tossed into the garbage, or into Starfire's stomach. The girl would eat anything so long as she had mustard to go with it.

"Tofu again?" Cyborg asked, walking into the room. "Why?"

"I discovered the meaning of life." The violet-haired girl intoned.

The cybernetic teen blinked. "You did? What is it?"

"Food." She replied, taking a bit of egg.

"Food?" The cybernetic teen blinked again? "That's it? Food?"

"Food." The violet-haired girl answered, quite serious.

Shaking his head, Cyborg turned to leave. As he did so, alarms sounded throughout the tower.

"Don't villains eat?" Beast Boy asked. "They always pull something during breakfast."

"Jump City villains must be early risers." Raven commented apathetically.

"They're villains. You would think they would try something at night." The shape shifter muttered, quickly gobbling down his tofu bacon and eggs.

Robin rushed into the room and glanced a display. "It's a bank robbery." He stated with purpose. "Let's go team."

* * *

Several minutes later they'd gathered around Fourth Street Bank. Adonis had torn the vault door off its hinges and was busy gathering bags of cash.

"Give it up Adonis." Robin yelled.

"Why?" What do you wimps think you can do?"

"This." Intoned Raven. She ripped a lamp post out of the ground with her dark magic and used it to trip the massive figure in his battle suit. Each time he stood up, she tripped him again. She could call on White Raven now at will, and that would let her match almost any foe face-to-face, but she preferred not to. As it was, her connection to Beast Boy vastly enhanced her powers. Feeling a little like a bully, she tripped the massive figure again.

"Stop that." Adonis yelled, clearly angry.

"No." She replied impassively. "Not until you surrender."

Beast Boy sat back and watched, amused at the sight. The rest of the Titans did so too. Cyborg's cannon was useless against the battle suit the villain was wearing, while Robin's explosive discs were pretty much the same.

After twenty minutes she grew tired of it. "You try." She said, holding the lamp post out to the shape shifter.

Focusing, he reached out and fused a small part of his soul with the post. Whereas her magic had coated it in black, his was a dark green. Clumsily he tried to trip the villain. The attempt failed, and the livid criminal managed to gain his feet.

"Definitely need more practice." Raven commented. As Rage and Knowledge had suggested, the shape shifter was capable of some magic. What his full potential was had yet to be determined.

"Bleh!" Beast Boy said, and turned into a fifty foot giant crocodile. As with all his forms, his connection to Raven enhanced its size and power. He opened his mouth, and faced the charging villain.

Adonis froze, eyes going wide as he stared. "Since when can you change into that?" He asked nervously.

"Around two months." Raven intoned, speaking for the shape shifter since the crocodile form couldn't speak. "You might be in a suit made of titanium, but those teeth are big. I wonder if he could bite through." She looked at Beast Boy. "Only one way to find out. Bite him in two." She ordered, pointing at Adonis. At her command the massive beast moved forward, lunging at the villain.

"I give up! I give up!" Adonis cried, crouching on the ground with his hands over his head.

"That went well." The violet-haired girl commented, with a smile at Beast Boy.

"It did." He admitted, changing back to his human form. "Even if Jinx did come over and spend a whole day casting curses on me, I'm glad I confessed. It comes in handy."

Raven nodded, recalling the confession. She'd been there, and had seen Robin tear into the shape shifter viciously, talking about the honor of the Titans along with other stuff. She'd figured ten minutes of listening to that rant had been enough of a punishment for her boyfriend, and had at that point summarily tossed said leader into the bay. When Jinx had found out, she'd indeed spent a whole day casting minor bad luck curse on the green-skinned Titan. She'd only held back on crushing the pink-haired girl because Beast Boy had pointed out he had attack the girl's boyfriend, and deserved it. Still, she'd kept a close eye on the girl. Strangely enough, it was that which gave her away. Jinx was the only one who'd figured out she and the shape shifter were dating.

They returned to the tower where Beast Boy and Cyborg immediately headed for the video games. Raven spent some time alone in her room meditating.

* * *

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos." She intoned, seeking tranquility. It came quickly and with ease, being something she now did out of enjoyment, and not necessity. A knock on the door interrupted her, causing her to frown. Beast Boy knew her well, and understood she liked some time alone. It wouldn't be him. _Starfire. _She realized, sending her senses through the door. Reaching out she opened it.

"Is it not a glorious evening, friend Raven?" The perky girl asked, entering the room.

"It is." Raven intoned. "Aren't most days glorious?" She asked impassively, letting just the tiniest hint of a smile show through her facade.

"They are." Starfire replied, sitting beside the violet-haired girl. "Would it not also be glorious to visit the mall of shopping?" The eyes of the alien pleaded.

"Not really." Raven disagreed apathetically.

"Not even to try on new clothes, or browse the stores of music?" The orange-skinned Titan spoke as if shocked.

"I always wear the same thing." She pointed out. "And I don't listen to music."

"All the more reason to visit the mall of shopping then, friend Raven. It's time you tried something new. Don't you want boys to think you're pretty?"

Raven's eyebrows raised at this. "Not really." She intoned. _Except for one. _She mentally added.

"Not even friend Beast Boy?" Starfire asked.

Shock kept her facade in place. After a second she managed to regain her wits. "What about Beast Boy?" The violet-haired girl asked.

"You eat breakfast with him every day, and spend time with him mediating. You no long hit him, or get annoyed at his jokes." The orange-skinned alien pointed out.

"So?" Came the impassive reply.

"So. Do you like him? Your eyes light up when you're around him, and you smile."

"Oh." _It seems the cat's out of the bag. _She told herself. "I like him." She replied, smiling slightly.

"The mall of shopping has many outfits. Would it not be nice to wear some?" The alien beamed. "I'm sure he would approve."

Raven gave it some thought. In truth she didn't care for shopping, and considered her usual attire satisfactory. She knew Beast Boy approved of it. Sitting back, she stared at her friend, knowing she was making the girl nervous. Her and Beast Boy had talked about it; immortality. The time would come when they would leave the Titans. Not yet for a while. Raven wanted to see Robin's and Starfire's kids, and spoil them. The Titans were her first friends and she wanted memories of them; enough to last a long long time. _Memories won't be made sitting alone in a room. _She told herself.

"Lets go to the mall of shopping." She replied to the orange-skinned girl. "But I'm not trying on any clothes, Just going to browse."

Surprise reigned supreme in Starfire's eyes. Raven had never accepted her offers of shopping before.

Raven grinned. "And in the meantime we can talk about boys. Mainly one spiky haired one, and one with pointy ears."

The Tamaranian blinked, clearly in shock. She knew talking about boys was something girls did on earth, but she'd never had anyone to talk about them with.

The violet-haired girl stood, and pulled her friend to her feet. "You think Beast Boy would look good in tuxedo?" She asked. "Of course that's pretty far off yet. But in time..." She shrugged. _Of course if you count the demon ceremony, then we're already married. _She thought to herself with a smile.

"He would." Starfire hurried to say. "Of course so would Robin. I wonder if we could have a double marriage?"

"You two talk about marriage yet?" Raven asked, curious.

"No." The alien suddenly deflated. "But I'm sure we will one day."

"You will." Raven agreed. "You two are perfect for each other." She teleported them to the outside of the tower where they both took to the air, heading towards the mall of shopping.

* * *

Three hours later she and Starfire dragged themselves back to the tower.

_That wasn't too bad. _Raven mused to herself. The perky alien had been ecstatic to have someone to shop with, and Raven figured she would join the girl again once in a while. Surprisingly enough, they'd spent over an hour in the toys section talking about kids. She'd even picked something up for Beast Boy. Finding it had been strange, but it was definitely meant for him.

Standing at the tower entrance, something felt strange; there was no sense of anyone around. _Guessed they all left. _She shrugged, and entered the commons room with Starfire following her. The darkness erupted into light, and a chorus of 'Happy Birthday' echoed through the room.

Beast Boy grinned at the shocked girl. He might not know much magic, but he could block their presence long enough for the surprise to work. "Happy Birthday Raven." He repeated, smiling at her.

The violet-haired girl looked around, noticing Starfire wasn't the least but shocked. It took her several seconds to realize how she should react. "Thanks." She replied, giving them all a brief smile. _It's my birthday again. _She mused, surprised. _And I have friends to share it with, and Trigon won't be showing up to this one._ She smiled again. "Hope you got me a big cake, because after being dragged around the mall for three hours I'm famished."

"We did." Cyborg replied. He dragged her to the table.

She had to admit it was huge; too huge. There was no way five people could eat all of that. Her eyes roamed over the gigantic creation, wondering what they were going to do with it.

"Everyone wants a piece." Cyborg explained, seeing her look. "So someone will be delivering a piece to all the honorary Titans."

"Oh." She replied, still eying the cake. It showed a crude picture of her, with a raven outlined in the background. Not too long ago the reminder of what she was would've upset her. Now she just smiled, excited.

"Blow out the candles and make a wish." Beast Boy told her, his hand on her shoulder.

She glanced at him, beaming him a smile. "I know exactly what to wish for." She told him. "But given the size of the cake, how am I supposed to blow out the candles? They're more than five feet apart. She turned to look at the immense pastry again. The cake was five feet wide, with the candles spaced around its edge.

"I'm sure you can do it, friend Raven." Starfire assured her.

The violet-haired girl nodded, and prepared to give it a try. _I wish for all my friends to live very long and very happy lives. _She silently intoned. Taking a gigantic deep breath, she held it. Walking around in a circle, she blew just enough to put out each candle, holding her breath again after each one. She barely made it to the last one.

The cake was delicious, and mysterious. It seemed to be made up of dozens of miniature cakes, all with different flavors. It was irresistable.

"It's like you." Beast Boy said, watching her try different pieces. "When I said you were creepy I was wrong. I should've said mysterious." He watched her closely.

"Mysterious does sound better than creepy." She smiled. Her hand reached out to briefly touch his.

"Gifts." Starfire yelled ecstatically, cake frosting around her mouth. She was clearly enjoying the moment.

Watching her, Raven wondered what would happen if she introduced the girl to Happy. "Want to meet someone after the party?" She asked the girl.

"Who?" The orange-skinned alien asked. "Why not just invite them over now so they can have fun too?"

"They're already here, but you can't see her." The violet-haired girl explained, grinning at the girl's puzzled look. "And I'm pretty sure they're having fun."

"Okay." The confused girl agreed. "But now it's time to open your gifts."

She sat back in a chair and had them handed to her.

Cyborg gave her a book. They waited patiently for her, as she flipped through the pages deciphering the old english text. Supposed the book was a grimoire with ancient celtic spells. It would be fun to read even if it wasn't a true book of magic. She carefully placed it to one side.

Robin stepped forward. His gift was a talisman to be worn around the neck. In the form of a raven made of some form of black iron, it was supposed to aid a person in casting magic.

"Doubt it really works." He added. "But I thought it might suit you."

"I like it." She said. "Only problem with wearing stuff like this is it can get lost in a fight. I'll keep it safe somewhere." She carefully placed the charm on top of the book.

"I didn't know what to get." Starfire said, stepping forward. "I doubted you would want clothes." She shrugged, and handed Raven a small parcel.

It turned out to be a chess set. The pieces were intricately carved, and looked very delicate. Touching them, she decided that looks were deceiving. "It's beautiful." She told the girl. She held up a piece and studied it. It shone pure black, radiating light to create a dark aura around it. "The white pieces are silver." The violet-haired girl remarked, examining them. They were pure silver, the same color as Beast Boy in his dragon form. As with the black pieces, each had an aura around it reflecting the color of the piece.

"Sorry. I had it made on Tamaran and I guess I got it wrong." The girl was about to cry.

"I love it." Raven said, in awe, still examining the pieces. "They're beautiful. And the silver reminds me of the person I will be playing most often with." Her eyes sought out Beast Boy who smiled back at her.

Nervously he stepped forward. "I didn't know what to get either." Beast Boy told her. He handed her a small parcel. "This is for your birthday." He explained.

She opened it; another book. This one was written in latin with ornately drawn pictures on the cover. It was about the origin of the word demon. She flips through the pages.

"Believe it or not, I actually read it." He told her. "You would be surprised how much the author got right." Looking around he noticed all four of them were staring at him, mouths open, eyes wide in surprise. He took a deep breath. "Yes." He added. "I read it. I admit it took some time with it being in latin and having to translate each line, but I read it."

Cyborg and Robin looked away, obviously not believing him.

"So we can discuss it?" Raven asked, smiling.

"We can." He replied, heart pounding in response to the smile.

She placed the book carefully to one side. A simple touch imbued it with a trace of magic. It would now be resistant to minor wear and tear, and to her demonic senses it would glow, making it nearly impossible to lose. She turned to see him holding out a small box.

"Two gifts?" She asked, eyes lighting up. Birthdays were something she could get used to.

"This isn't a birthday gift, but I wanted to give it to you on your birthday." Beast Boy explained.

"Oh." She opened the box to look inside. She closed the lid, and took a deep breath, staring up at him. "You sure." She ask, beaming a smile that wiped away her facade.

"If you are."

She handed the box back, and fear that she was refusing spiked in him. Then she held out her left hand, beaming up at him. He could hear her heart beating as fast and as loud as his was. He opened the box, and took out a ring. He slid it on her ring finger, eyes never leaving hers.

The violet-haired girl looked at the ring. A flawless cut dark blue diamond on top of a finely crafted silver band. The band had intricate engravings on the sides in the form of a raven's wings. The bird's eyes were small amethysts staring up at her. That it was the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen was an understatement. She held it out proudly.

"That's a joke? Right?" Cyborg asked.

Robin was pale, glancing between the ring and Starfire, knowing she would want to take that next step. His eyes, even masked, gave away his thoughts and abject terror.

"What is it?" Starfire asked, looking closely. "It's very beautiful." She added, with awe in her voice.

"It is." Raven agreed, unable to stop beaming up at the shape shifter. To the shock of everyone present, she pulled him down on top of her, and gave him a deep, lingering, kiss.

"It's not a joke." Cyborg said, sitting down on the floor.

"What is it?" Starfire asked, knowing it had to be more than just a ring.

"An engagement ring." Raven told her, still holding the hand up to show it off.

"Engagement ring?" The alien's voice held confusion.

"It's a ring that shows two people are committed to each other." Cyborg explained from the floor. "It's a promise that they will one day marry."

"Oh." Starfire turned to look at Robin. "Can I have one?" She asked.

Boy Wonder's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. His face went even paler.

Raven broke the kiss, leaving both her and Beast Boy breathless. "I have something for you." She told him. "Hold out your hand."

He did so, curious. She placed a ring of pure silver on his ring finger. The band was formed into the shape of a dragon, with two green emeralds marking its eyes. A trace of white gold showed the dragon's breath being unleashed upon some foe. Looking close, one could even see what must be a tattoo etched in its right wing tip; much like the one he had as a dragon. He raised his hand, examining the ring. "It's beautiful." He said, eyes wide, smiling. He pulled her close, and returned the kiss she'd given him.

* * *

End of Story.

**Note: **The ring description was basically written by lunar silver. I just modified it a bit to fit the situation.

Many thanks to those who read and review.


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